If This Is Who We Are
by Jenny Jennson
Summary: The friendships between Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper ceased to exist the day Veronica Lodge moved to town. Until Jason Blossom was murdered, that was. AU Bughead/Varchie
1. Chapter 1

_This is it._ Fourteen-year-old Betty Cooper thought as she took a final glance in the mirror. Her reflection gave her a tentative smile. _The first day of high school._

"Elizabeth!" Alice Cooper, the only one to address her by her true first name, called. "Archie and Jughead are here!"

She rolled her eyes at her mother's tone, smoothed down the cream-colored pencil skirt she had chosen to wear, tightened her signature ponytail, and grabbed her backpack from off the desk, her bedroom door slamming shut behind her.

Het two best friends, Archie Andrews and Forsythe Pendleton Jones III, known to those who loved him the most as simply Jughead, stood awkwardly in the foyer, avoiding conversation with Alice, not that she had offered them anything other than allowing them to set foot in her home.

Jughead saw her first, and he silently gave Archie a nudge with his elbow. "Hey Betts."

"Hey." Betty echoed, her gaze already fixated on the red headed boy in front of her. "Hey Arch."

"Betty." He acknowledged, casting a quick glance in her mother's direction. Alice had always made him a little nervous.

"Ready to go?"

Her head bobbed up and down in a nod. "Definitely. Bye mom."

Alice caught her arm, pulling her into a stiff and unexpected hug. When they separated, the older woman pressed something into her hand.

"I refilled your Adderall." Alice announced, and Betty avoided her intense stare. "It seems _someone_ forgot to fill their prescription. I want you to stay focused this year, Elizabeth, is that understood?"

"Yeah, mom." Betty mumbled, stepping away from her. She reached out, grasping the first thing she came into contact with, the thin, soft and warn fabric of Jughead's gray V-neck, and gave it a tug towards the front door. "Bye."

She dragged the dark haired boy along behind her, leaving Archie to follow them.

"Um... Betts?" Jughead began, as they made their way down the street. "You're about to give my favorite shirt short sleeves."

"Sorry!" She stuttered, releasing him immediately. "Sorry, Juggie."

He raised an eye brow, glancing at the container still clutched in her fist. "You haven't been taking those, have you?"

"No." Betty replied. "I flushed them."

"Good." Jughead approved, taking the pills from her. They disappeared into his backpack. "You don't need them."

"Tell me that to my mother." Betty grumbled.

Alice had pulled the same trick with Chic and Polly, saying that the drug helped her elder children focus, but those days were long gone, the elder Cooper children skipping town shortly after graduation, leaving Betty to fend for herself.

This wasn't the first time Jughead had disposed of the pills, she never even had to ask him, he just did it, and she was more than thankful.

"Guys!" A familiar voice called. "Wait up!"

Betty slowed her pace, Archie and Jughead following suit as they waited for the fourth and final member of their little group to join them. Kevin adjusted the weight of his messenger bag against his shoulder, taking a few deep, shallow breaths. His cheeks were pink from running, his hair recently cut and perfectly tousled.

He grinned at them. "You guys ready for this?"

Archie offered him a half-nod, Jughead let his shoulders in a shrug. Better was the only one who returned Kevin's grin with a hopeful smile of her own.

Kevin wrapped an arm around her in response.

The rest of the walk to Riverdale high was oddly quiet. Betty wondered briefly if the others were also in deep thought but decided against it. None of them were wired the same, the boys didn't think, or _overthink_ , like she did, and for that, she was glad. Their differences were what had held the four together since their early childhood.

Finally, Jughead broke the silence.

"Are we still going to Pop's after school?" He asked.

Simultaneously, Archie, Kevin and Betty froze, similar apologetic, if not regretful, expressions on each of their faces.

Jughead stared back at them self-consciously.

"What?" He demanded.

"I have football tryouts." Archie said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

Kevin glanced down at his shoes. "The drama club is having their first meeting."

Betty said nothing.

She had forgotten about their promise to share their first day woes over a burger and fries; Pop's had been their usual hangout since they were old enough to cross the street without a parent present, and she had been hoping to go through with her plan before she announced her intentions to the three boys she was closest to.

She didn't know how they would react.

"Betts?" Jughead questioned.

Kevin's arm tightened against her shoulders. Even Archie was looking at her now.

"Um." She drew out. "I'm going to try out for cheerleading."

Kevin actually squealed, drawing her into such a tight embrace, she could barely breathe. Archie smiled faintly, and Betty wished she could read his mind. It was impossible to tell if he was happy for her, disappointed, or if he couldn't have cared less. He had been distracted all summer, only becoming more distant after his mother up and left to go live with her sister two states away, so she tried her best to not take his lack of response personally.

Only Jughead had yet to react.

"Oh." He said finally, his dark eyes appraising her. "Um... That's great, Betty. Good for all of you, I mean."

Jughead's words surprised her, and they probably shouldn't have. He was the first to admit that without herself, Archie and Kevin, he would have been a loner, hanging out at the library on the weekends instead of in Archie's basement, playing their tedious video games while Betty sat across the room, her nose stuck in a book, rolling her eyes every so often.

Betty suddenly realized that part of her had wanted her longtime friend to be _proud_ , an emotion that was rare for him.

"We could meet after." Betty offered lamely. "Maybe at six?"

"Sure." Archie and Kevin agreed in unison.

When Jughead offered her his trademark grin, years of adventure and mischief behind it, she felt herself relax. Things were okay again.

* * *

He glanced at the clock on the wall in disdain. Had time ever moved more slowly?

Betty had said six, but Jughead, always one to be early, had arrived at five-forty-five, choosing their usual booth. Though he was starving, he had refused to order until his friends arrived.

Now, it was six-thirty, and he was regretting that decision greatly.

Where were they?

A brush of warm air filled the diner as the door was pushed open, the bell ringing to alert the nearest employee that new patrons had arrived.

He heard a familiar laugh, and despite the irritation that had begun to creep into him over the last half-hour, he grinned.

Betty walked in, arm-in-arm with Kevin, laughing at some joke Jughead wasn't in on.

Something was different, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that it had to do with the blue and gold uniform that had replaced the pencil skirt and fuzzy sweater she had worn to school that morning.

Betty Cooper was now a River Vixen.

Her hair was still pulled back into her tight, trademark pony tail, but a bow that matched her cheerleading outfit had been carefully tied around it. She caught his eye and smiled, still giggling.

"Hey Juggie!" She greeted, dropping down into the seat across from him. Kevin joined her.

"Hey." Jughead replied evenly. "Um... Congratulations?"

He could have smacked himself.

He hadn't meant for his statement to come across as a question, and as Betty's contagious smile faltered, he hated himself even more.

He was her best friend, he had been since they were kids. Why couldn't he be more supportive like Kevin, and Archie, if he ever stopped brooding over his changing home life.

Jughead was proud of her.

Really, he was. Betty Cooper could do anything she set her mind to.

But why, dear god, _why_ did it have to be _cheerleading?_

The Betty he knew was sweet, kind, intelligent, funny, good hearted, good natured, even with a mother who had never really given her a chance.

She was absolutely nothing like Cheryl Blossom, who even in her freshman status, was a leading force in the River Vixen's. Bitchy, bold and beautiful, Cheryl was the type of person who would rather have her peers fear her than like her.

Being a River Vixen came with certain expectations and perks, namely, popularity.

Betty Cooper was now doomed to be popular.

"Thanks." Betty replied shortly, her voice snapping him back to reality.

The door swung open again.

A crowd of Riverdale bulldogs filed in, all talking at once, clapping one another on the back and chuckling loudly. In a sea of brown and blonde hair, Archie Andrews stuck out like a sore thumb amongst them.

Jughead was the only one who made an attempt to call him over.

"Archie!"

Archie cast a glance over his shoulder and offered the three a quick nod before turning his attention back to Reggie

Mantle, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Arch made the team." Betty told him, as if he could have somehow missed that announcement.

Jughead realized that she still sounded upset.

"Betts…" He began.

"Betty!" A new voice called. The bell jingling for the third time. "Kev!"

"Veronica!" Kevin said, waving the raven haired girl over.

Jughead turned to Betty. "Veronica?"

"It was her first day." Kevin replied, still waving. "Betty's her peer mentor."

 _Veronica._ Jughead thought. The name sounded awfully familiar.

His eyebrow arched upward. "As if Veronica _Lodge?"_

Suddenly, they were both glaring at him.

"Don't say anything about her father." Kevin hissed through clenched teeth.

Betty avoided his gaze.

"She's really nice." She offered, after a minute. "She helped me make the squad."

Now he had an entirely different reason to distrust Veronica Lodge.

"Hey guys." Veronica greeted. She was wearing a River Vixen's uniform too, her hair loose and falling to her shoulders in flawless curls. She glanced at Jughead, and then stuck her hand out. "Veronica Lodge."

"Jughead Jones." Jughead responded, making no moves to uncross his arms. "The third."

"Jughead Jones the third." The girl repeated, almost sounding wary. "That's-"

"Veronica!" Cheryl barked as she barged into the diner, several Vixen's following along behind her. "Betty! Come on, we're getting a table."

Betty's face faltered. "Oh... Um, actually, Cheryl, we..."

 _"We_ are bonding as a team." Cheryl challenged, tossing her hair. "You _are_ part of the team, aren't you, Betty?"

Jughead's jaw tightened.

 _No one_ talked to her like that.

But just as he opened his mouth to fire bark with some snarky remark, what, he often said the first thing that came to

mind, and it was more than sufficient, a familiar hand landed on his arm, squeezing softly.

"Do you mind?" Betty almost whispered.

She looked so nervous, so worried that she might upset him, that Jughead would have done anything in his power to make sure she never wore that expression again.

Even if it meant handing her over to the likes of Cheryl Blossom and Veronica Lodge.

"Not at all." Jughead lied. "We can hang out anytime."

Betty immediately looked relieved.

"Thanks Juggie." She muttered, squeezing his wrist before rising.

Veronica looped her arm through Betty's, leading her away.

Kevin clapped him on the back.

"We'll do something this weekend." He said, already following along behind the girls.

As Jughead watched them go, Betty already distracted by something her new friend had said, Archie still trading with Reggie, Jughead's heart sank like a stone.

Somehow, he knew that Kevin's promise would not be kept.


	2. Chapter 2

**Three Years Later**

* * *

"Here's to our senior year!" Cheryl toasted, raising her glass.

"Here here!" Kevin called, without really thinking about it.

Betty patted his arm across the table, a grin on her face.

They were buzzed at best, with the exception of Reggie, Jason and Moose, the designated drivers for the evening, but Kevin, for reasons only known to himself, had doubled his usual intake of alcohol. He'd been singing Dolly Parton songs in the car on the way to Pop's, much to her amusement, and Archie's annoyance.

They had scored a invite to a recently graduated senior's end of the year party, obviously, and after three hours of loud music, bitter beer and bizarre drinking games, Betty had left when a former River Vixen broke out a Latin textbook and demanded that anyone playing either had to conjugate the verb correctly, or take a shot, she had managed to collect all of her friends, and convince them that they should probably take the time to sober up before returning to their respective homes.

That was how they had ended up at Pop's, Betty grateful for their late night hours. It wasn't uncommon to see teenagers drinking shakes and eating burgers at two or three o'clock in the morning.

The gang was all there, Cheryl, her twin brother Jason, Chuck, who though she secretly despised him, stuck with him because Archie saw some redeeming quality in him that everyone else was blind to, Reggie, who she might have been closer with had he and Veronica not been dating up until two months before, and as her best friend, it was Betty's job to remain slightly distant from Veronica's ex, Moose, Archie, Kevin, Veronica and herself.

They were almost a mismatched set of friends, Cheryl the bitch, athletic but quiet Jason, Chuck the creep, the asshole, Kevin, the theater geek, the director and costar of every Riverdale production since the ninth grade, Reggie and Moose, typical jocks, Archie, the musician, Veronica, the trendsetter, and Betty, the resident good girl, but they had stuck together since freshman year, through the good, the bad and the ugly.

"Oh my god!" Cheryl quipped, drawing the attention back to her for the hundredth time that night. "You guys will not _believe_ what I heard! I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you!"

Veronica and Kevin, even in his drunken state, leaned forward, clearly intrigued.

Archie slumped back in his seat. Somehow two and a half beers always left him feeling irritated, even with her. Chuck nudged Reggie with his elbow. "What is it?"

"Well, as you know, Josie's mother _is_ the mayor."

Betty resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Cheryl often tossed around her connection to Mayor McCoy through her friendship with Riverdale's semi-famous band's lead singer Josie like she thought it would impress the rest of them somehow. Betty liked Josie, but being the daughter of the Mayor, especially in a town as small as Riverdale, was nothing to brag about.

Moose blinked, waiting for the punchline. "Yeah, and?"

"They've decided to close down a certain... High school." Cheryl announced, her lips forming a thin line in disgust.

Chuck mimicked her expression. "Don't tell me."

"Unfortunately." She responded. "It looks like our precious, prestigious institution is going to be _tainted_ next year."

"Yeah." Reggie agreed, his teeth clenched. "By the Southside _Serpents."_

Betty dug her nails into the soft part of her palm.

It didn't even have to be his name anymore that brought on the agonizing feeling of guilt over a lapsed friendship that she'd once thought would last a lifetime.

Betty cast a quick glance at Archie to gauge his reaction, but he was deliberately avoiding her gaze, pretending to be interested in Veronica as she explained her hair regimen to Kevin for the four-hundredth time.

He didn't want to remember, she couldn't forget.

Kevin stood up suddenly, nearly knocking Archie from the booth in the process.

"It's a shame about Jughead." He declared loudly.

Out of the three remaining members of their once close-knit clique, he was the first one to mention _his_ name in years. It had always been an unspoken promise not to.

Veronica shot Betty a sympathetic look, while Cheryl stared her down, as if challenging her to come to her former friend's defense. A few months before, the red headed cheerleader had drunkenly let it slip that her secret pet project was to toughen Betty up, to make her more like Cheryl herself, but Betty wasn't going to give her that satisfaction.

Sometimes, she disliked her status as a cheerleader, as one of the most popular girls in the junior, senior at the stroke of midnight class. Sometimes, she resented her friends.

Sometimes, more than anyone would probably ever know, she detested herself for becoming exactly who she was.

Kevin looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe we could be friends again."

His eyes landed on her.

"Betty!" He called, so loudly that Pop himself emerged from the kitchen to give them a warning glare.

Moose stood up.

"Betty!" Kevin said again, grasping her hand a little too tightly. "Betty, you miss him, don't you? You want to be friends with Jughead again, don't you? You two were always so... _Close."_

"Kev." Archie mumbled, speaking for the first time in what seemed like hours.

"Kev." Moose echoed, pulling him away from her. "Maybe I should take you home."

Kevin glowered at him. "Why would _I_ want to go with _you?"_

For reasons only known to himself, and probably Kevin had he been sober, a pained look crossed Moose's face.

"Okay, boys, easy." Cheryl teased, also rising. "No need for a lover's quarrel. Kevin can just come with us. Ready, JJ?"

Jason nodded, already pulling his keys from the pocket of his Varsity jacket.

Archie mumbled a goodbye to the rest of the group, catching hold of Betty's elbow to pull her along behind him, and she wasn't sure why the sudden contact had occurred in the first place, but it no longer sent shivers down her spine, or doted her arms with goosebumps, even in the hottest of temperatures, the way it once had.

"B!" Veronica ran after them.

She was pulled into a too-tight embrace, nearly chocking on the familiar scent of Veronica's favorite Channel No. 5 perfume.

"I'm going to miss you." Veronica gushed, squeezing her again. "Don't forget to call."

"I won't." Betty promised, hugging her back just as eagerly.

They were all going their separate ways until August; Kevin was off to a theater camp in North Carolina, Reggie's parents were taking him to Alaska, Moose was going to visit his aunt in Seattle, while both Veronica and Chuck were going to New York, though she had already made it clear that the two would not be crossing paths even one time. Betty had an internship lined up for her in LA, Chic had already agreed to let her stay with him, and she could visit Polly on some weekends. That just left the Blossom twins and Archie behind in Riverdale, and what their plans were, she had no idea.

"Have a good summer, Ronnie." Archie said.

Veronica merely smiled at him in response, following Reggie towards his beat up jeep. Despite the breakup, and all the awkwardness that was still ensuing, they still lived close to one another, and when there were group outings, he still made sure she got home safely.

Jason unlocked the door of the prized convertible he'd had since sophomore year, the very car he had never let his sister drive, and pushed the front seat forward to let the three of them, Kevin slumped between her and Archie, to crawl into the back.

"It's going to be a great summer." He muttered, low enough for only her to hear.

Betty blinked, trying to quickly regain her composure.

In the three years they had been friends, mainly because they hung around the same people, she could count all the conversations she'd had with Jason Blossom on one hand. He was the quiet type, odd for his reputation as a typical jock, but he laughed at the same jokes the rest of them did, was a straight-A student, and was well-liked by Riverdale's student body despite his tendency to disappear inside himself.

"Um..." Betty replied awkwardly. "Yeah."

He still grinned at her.

On the way home, Kevin moved into singing his favorite show tunes, and even Betty was happy when Jason pulled up in front of her house.

Archie climbed out first, offering her a hand. She took it without hesitation, still feeling nothing when they touched.

"B!" Cheryl called, blowing her a kiss. "Remember-"

"If I see any celebrities, I'll be sure to get you their autograph." Betty finished. She'd already made the promise a hundred times since announcing her summer plans.

"Any _worthy_ celebrities." Cheryl corrected. "See you in August, bitch! Ciao!"

She waited until the car had turned the corner to roll her eyes at Archie, and for the first time all night, he cracked the faintest of smiles.

"Have a good summer." He told her, pulling her into a quick, but tight hug. "And don't work all the time, B, have a little fun, for once in your life."

"I have fun!" She defended. He just chuckled and started heading towards his house. "Arch, wait."

Archie turned back around. "Yeah?"

She wanted to bring up Cheryl's bombshell. Now that they were alone, it was safe to, but something stopped her. Something held her back. Maybe it was Archie's ignorance, pretending the first fourteen years of their lives hadn't happened, maybe it was the fear that he would lash out at her, or cut her off too.

Maybe it was a reminder that sometimes, the past was better left in the past.

"Never mind." Betty mumbled, avoiding his gaze. "I'll see you in August."

"Yeah." Archie replied, his tone even. "See you."

She ascended the first step leading towards her house.

"Betty?"

She stopped immediately. "Yeah?"

"It's gonna be okay." Archie promised her, before jogging to the front door.

"Archie!" Betty called after him.

He was already inside, well out of earshot.

She stood there for a few moments, trying to figure out what, exactly, he had meant by that. The rational part of her mind told her that he was talking about going to LA for the first time, and all the people she was going to meet during the duration of her internship, but her subconscious, or what was left of it after years of being friends with Cheryl, told her that it was something else entirely.

She just wished she didn't have to wait three months to figure out which part of her was right.


	3. Chapter 3

**One Month Later**

* * *

"Betty!" Chic snapped, pounding on the door to his guest room. "Would you hurry up? You're not the only one who has Fourth of July plans, you know!"

"I wouldn't call a work party where I'll be taking drink orders and checking coats Fourth of July _plans."_ Betty replied with a laugh. "Five minutes."

"You said that five minutes ago!"

"Well, this time I mean it."

Chic let out a groan.

"Who needs a coat in the _summer?"_ He demanded, after a moment.

She giggled. "Famous people?"

Betty's reflection smirked back at her. She had been with her brother since the second week of June, and despite the months of absence, Chic hadn't stepped foot in Riverdale since Thanksgiving, making up excuse after excuse as to why he couldn't return for Christmas, the two had easily fallen back into a familiar routine, fighting over the one bathroom in his two bedroom apartment, arguing over what radio station to listen to, Chich had even held her down to fart on her several times over the passing weeks, much to her annoyance and his amusement, but she wouldn't have traded it for anything. Being around Chic brought her back to simpler times, when both her siblings still lived at home, and were there to shield her from their mother.

Chic and Polly had asked about Alice once, when Polly had come down to visit the weekend before last. They had sat in the living room, watching a black and white silent film, Polly's turn to pick, and drinking wine. They had only given her a semi-disapproving look when she wasn't drunk or even the slightest bit giddy after two-and-a-half glasses, but she knew deep down they understood.

After a long moment of silence, Polly had looked her in the eye and blurted out a heartfelt apology that seemed to come out of nowhere, Chic joining in seconds later. They both told her how sorry they were for leaving her behind, their words, not her own. As much as she had missed them, she had also understood their need to escape the chaos that was the Cooper family. It was something Betty had been dreaming about for years.

And then, the most amazing thing happened.

Without breaking their intense eye contact, Polly had asked her to move in with her after graduation, to leave Riverdale and their parents far, far behind.

Betty had agreed without hesitation.

 _"Elizabeth Cooper!"_

"I'm coming!" Betty snapped, still grinning.

She took one last look at her reflection.

Her black dress, borrowed from Veronica's closet last minute, and at her friend's insistence, made her legs look longer.

After countless lessons, and critiques, more like criticisms from Cheryl, she had finally perfected the art of doing her eyeliner.

There was just one thing she wasn't quite sure about. Her ponytail.

Oddly enough, it was something her friends had debated on before. While both Veronica and Cheryl had been in favor of her trying a new style from time to time, Kevin had defended the up do, calling it iconic.

She was in LA now, a far cry from the town with pep. Maybe it was time she reinvent herself a little. Even the smallest change would do, so she reached up, freeing her hair from its trademark pony tail. Golden curls framed her face.

 _There._ She thought. _Much better._

Just as she reached for her clutch, which also belonged to Veronica, Betty was sure more than half the clothes currently spilling out of her suitcase belonged to Veronica, her phone began to buzz.

Archie's name flashed across the screen.

Betty ignored the call with an apologetic look. They had barely spoken since she left, a few texts here and there, and as much as she wanted to talk to him, she really did have to go. Chic was waiting for her.

Her phone went off again.

Archie never called more than once, not unless it was an emergency.

Suddenly growing nervous, she accepted the call on the first ring, pressing it to her ear. Taking a deep breath, she tried to sound as normal as possible.

"Archie." She greeted.

There was no response.

"Arch?" She asked, her concern seeping through. "You there?"

He let out a shaking sigh.

"Archie." Betty whispered. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Betty." Archie began.

* * *

"Jesus, Betty, how long does it take to get ready?" Chic barked, barging into the room without knocking. "I swear, you're worse than Polly... Betty?"

She didn't look at him, her gaze glued to the blank wall that she had teased him about painting the brightest shade of pink she could find only days earlier.

"Betty." He said again, slowly dropping down onto the mattress beside her.

His hand landed on her shoulder.

"Lizzie?" Chic questioned, the nickname she had tried to use in the first grade for about a week until she decided that there were too many _Lizzie's_ in the world, and not enough Betty's, slipping out like a bad habit. Usually, she would sulk, and tell him not to call her that because it was closer to the name _Elizabeth_ than _Betty_ ever had been.

Now, she finally turned to face her brother, a faraway look in her eyes.

"What happened?" Chic asked.

"I..." Her voice cracked, and she took a few deep breaths, attempting to regain her composure. "I need to go home."


	4. Chapter 4

As she pushed the door open, the bell ringing was a welcome reprieve from the rant her mother had been on since she had picked her up at the airport nearly an hour earlier.

 _Really, Elizabeth, what were you thinking? Do you realize how unprofessional it is to leave a month early?_

 _Sorry my friend is dead_. Betty had replied, and that was what finally shut Alice up. She had even offered her a ride home from Pop's, but Betty had ignored her, turning to stare out the window.

Jason...

Jason Blossom, the red headed football player, the quiet twin brother of the River Vixen's team captain, her friend Jason, was _dead_ , gone forever.

"Arch." She called, when she spotted him waiting for her, sitting in the same booth they had occupied not even a month before.

He rose slowly, and within seconds, she was in his arms, and she allowed herself to enjoy the comfort of an old friend, nothing more, nothing less.

"Oh my god, Arch." Betty mumbled, when they pulled away. She slid into the booth across from him.

Archie nodded, saying nothing.

Betty understood immediately. His emotions were mirroring her own.

Since he had called her, she had not been able to shed a tear over Jason Blossom, she only felt numb. For the last twenty-four hours, she had been trying to remind herself of every good memory she had of him, like that night in October during their freshman year, when their group had snuck into Riverdale cemetery to test the legend of Bloody Mary at Cheryl's insistence, or the play they had done in the tenth grade, where Betty was a lead, and Jason a background character. He had tripped over his untied shoelace, Reggie's boredom getting the better of him, he had been untying everyone's shoes the entire duration of rehearsals, and fell into the orchestra pit, somehow landing on his feet without a sprain or a break. He had gotten a standing ovation in the middle of the second act.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I don't know." Archie admitted, shaking his head. "He said he was going to go camping at Sweet Water River."

Betty blinked. Something didn't feel right.

His intentions weren't strange, Jason had gone camping every summer, often bringing the rest of their friends along with him. The previous year, Betty had rolled down a hill into the water, injuring her wrist in the process, Cheryl had nearly caught her hair on fire while trying to make a s'more, and Veronica had lost her favorite diamond studs.

What she didn't understand was why he would have gone in July, when they usually camped out over Labor Day weekend, pretending that the summer wasn't actually over.

But she didn't dare mention any of this to Archie.

He had been closer to Jason, the two playing side by side on the field since the seventh grade. He didn't seem upset though, just deeply, deeply tired, and she wondered if the news had really hit any of them yet.

Kevin, Chuck, Reggie and Veronica were on their way home.

They had all traded a few texts back and forth, checking in, agreeing to go see Cheryl, who had more or less become a recluse within Thornhill, as a group. No one had dared to ask if the other was okay, because they already knew the answer. For now, it was just her and Archie, along with a few other late night visitors at Pop's. and despite the devastating nature behind their meeting up, for a moment, it felt like old times.

Of course, there was still one obvious person missing, someone to throw around clever quips, and steal French fries off her plate when he thought she wasn't looking.

 _Really, Betty?_ She scolded herself. _You're thinking about him now?_

The real question was, when was she _not_ thinking of him in some way, some capacity.

The bell jingled again, alerting the rest of Pop's current inhabitants that some other late night dweller had arrived. Betty paid it little mind, but as Archie glanced up, his jaw tightened, and he rose suddenly, catching hold of her arm.

"Archie." She began, slowly turning her head.

It was not one person entering, but several, the door being held open by a green eyed boy, his raven locks hidden halfway beneath an all too familiar crown-like beanie.

Forsythe Pendleton Jones III, known to those who loved him the most as simply Jughead.

It felt like forever since she had seen him entering Pop's.

She wondered if he still frequented the diner, it had been their favorite place to go since they were old enough to cross the street without a parent by their side, and though she was there almost every day rain or shine, their paths had yet to cross.

Betty allowed herself to stare at him without shame for a moment. He had grown taller, if that was even possible, both he and Archie had towered over her by the time they entered junior high, and though his form was still somewhat lanky, he had filled out, his arms becoming more defined.

This was a far cry from the boy that had given her classic books for every Christmas and birthday, from the boy who hid her Adderall for her and proofread all of her papers before she turned them in, just to ensure that they were perfect, and the biggest change in him was the leather jacket he was wearing, a snake stitched into the back.

"Let's go." Archie said quietly, as if trying not to draw attention to himself.

"Arch..." Betty replied.

The last of his friends entered, and Jughead let the door fall shut, clapping one of them on the back as he passed. He grinned at the guy, saying something she didn't catch.

Archie tugged on her arm.

"Betty!" He snapped.

The sound of her name had him whipping his head in their direction.

Betty allowed herself to meet his gaze.

Jughead looked at her for a moment, his smile evolving into a smirk she had once known all too well.

One of his fellow Serpents, a girl with long curls partially dyed pink, called out to him. "Jug?"

For a moment, her blood boiled.

That was _her_ nickname for him, well, hers and Archie. What right did that girl have to use it?

"Yeah." He answered, still not breaking his eye contact with her. She couldn't tell if his voice had gotten deeper or not.

"Coming."

"Betty." Archie managed to pull her from the booth, his grip slipping down to her wrist, until finally, his hand enclosed over her own. "Come on, let's go."

"Archie." Betty argued lamely. "We don't have to-"

"Well we're sure as hell not staying here." He told her, still tugging her towards the door. "We can go somewhere else."

"Arch."

"Betty, I'm not leaving you alone with _Serpents."_ Archie hissed through clenched teeth. "You're coming with me."

Jughead had moved to join his posse, a gang really. What really went on in the Southside, she had no idea, she didn't _want_ to know. The rumors surrounding the Serpents were bad enough, and she still couldn't believe the boy who had brought her a flower picked from the neighbor's yard every day for a month after her grandmother died was now one of them.

 _You're not fourteen anymore._ She told herself. _Jughead isn't your friend, he's one of **them** now._

"Okay." She agreed, dropping her gaze. She allowed Archie to lead her outside. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

She had been there.

For a second, but only a second, Elizabeth Cooper, known to those who loved her the most as simply Betty, he had only ever used her given name when he wanted to get on her nerves, and it had worked every single time, had been in his sight.

It wasn't the first time he had seen her, not that she would have known that, though it was the first time she had consciously seen _him_ , and what annoyed him the most, other than Archie being there to 'save the day', as his former best friend saw it, was that he hadn't been able to gauge her reaction.

Once, he had been able to read Betty like an open book.

The perfect girl next door had always worn her heart on her sleeve, especially when it came to the crush she'd developed in the fourth grade, the same crush that the red headed boy had somehow been so oblivious to, and Jughead had hated him for that at times, for unknowingly breaking her fragile heart again and again.

Archie Andrews was the closest thing Jughead ever had to a brother, at least, he had been, until their falling out a few weeks into their freshman year. by the second semester, Jughead had opted to transfer to Southside High, where he could be around more people like _him_ , by the following summer, he had become a full blooded member of the Serpents, and the next time he saw Archie again, he was sitting at their old booth in Pop's, Betty and the rest of their new friends surrounding him.

At first glance, they were still Archie and Betty, the aspiring musician and the girl who wanted to be a writer when she grew up, but as he got closer, he had never actually _entered_ the diner, because though he would never admit it, it had nearly killed him to see the only two people he had ever truly let all the way in, he could see a smugness in Archie that had not been there previously, laughing loudly at some raunchy joke Reggie had probably told, and then there was Betty, sweet, innocent Betty Cooper, wearing a shade of lipstick that mirrored Cheryl Blossom's, her mouth tugged upward into an unfamiliar smile.

They were no longer the Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper he had known and loved.

And he wasn't Jughead anymore, at least not the one they had grown up with, the one they had shared countless movie nights with, always a classic at his or Betty's insistence.

The inevitable had happened; Riverdale's social war had finally pulled them apart.

And there was nothing anyone could have done to stop it.

He didn't blame Archie for playing football, or Betty for becoming a cheerleader, or Kevin, for becoming the actor they had all known he was destined to be.

And yet, they blamed him for accepting his own fate, to become a Serpent.

He had seen Archie and Betty out and about on more than one occasion during their years apart, their band of friends always within earshot, and though Betty had never noticed him, too caught up in whatever conversation she had been engrossed in, Archie had often been paying attention, fixing Jughead with an intense stare that he could never quite place.

Sometimes, he thought it was irritation, or a superiority, as if his former friend was trying to taunt him, telling h thought that maybe he could see a hint of sadness, or regret, but it would disappear just as quickly every single that he was the golden boy of Riverdale, that he had gotten everything Jughead had ever dreamed of, including a certain blonde haired, blue eyed girl, telling him that he always had been, and always _would_ be the better man.

Other times, he thought maybe he saw a flash of sadness, or regret, but it would disappear just as quickly, like it had never been there at all.

"Betty." He heard Archie bark, catching hold of her arm.

Betty didn't look away from him, but Archie still managed to pull her from the booth without much effort, his fingers locking around her wrist. They exchanged a few words, but Archie seemed to be the victorious one, for Betty drooped her gaze, effectively cutting off the longest moment they'd had in three years.

She followed Archie outside, not looking up again, even as she slid into the passenger's seat of Archie's old classic. He'd heard from his own father that Mr. Andrews and Archie had spent the entire summer between sophomore and junior year rebuilding. The work showed proudly.

Jughead felt a moment of pride for his former friend. Archie always had been good at fixing things, other than their broken friendship, that was.

"You're got it bad." Toni teased, as he dropped down into the seat beside her.

"Shut up." Jughead warned.

Sweet Pea chuckled. "Her name's Betty, right? She's cute. A little prissy, but cute."

"Shut _up."_

Jughead's anger didn't seem to faze him.

"Are you ever going to tell her?" He demanded.

 _Juggie?_

Jughead pushed the memory away quickly.

"Jones?" Fangs asked.

His lips formed a thin line. "No."

He couldn't.

He wouldn't.


	6. Chapter 6

"We need more popcorn." Veronica declared.

Reggie nodded, detangling himself from her. "I'll go-"

"No!" Betty interjected, wincing at how desperate she sounded. If she didn't calm down, they would definitely be able to tell that she wanted to get away, even if it was just for a few minutes, from their attempt to reestablish the friendship that had never really been. "Please, let me."

Reggie frowned. "Aww, B, you don't have to-"

"I want to." She lied, already jumping down from the bed of his truck. "My legs are starting to fall asleep."

Veronica didn't seem fazed.

"Hurry back, B." She warned. "You're going to miss the best part."

Betty nodded in response. "I'll be right back."

It had been two weeks since they had all returned early from their summer plans, two weeks since their lives had changed forever, and they were trying to get back to their new version of normal, a life without Jason Blossom.

Everyone was at the Drive In, with the exception of Cheryl, who, rightfully so, had left Riverdale for an undetermined amount of time to try and get away from the town that held so many memories of her brother. Chuck had brought along a date, some sophomore whose name she couldn't remember, and Moose and Kevin were parked a few cars away, more interested in their conversation than the movie currently playing overhead. Archie was supposedly on his way, he had started taking music lessons from their teacher Miss. Grundy, but the movie was already halfway through.

She prayed that he would at least arrive to give her a ride home.

She wasn't sure she could take another fifteen minutes of sitting in between the two raven haired teens, trying not to cringe as the two threw comments back and forth to one another that were meant to sound friendly. When they weren't fighting, they acted like a couple yet again, even though Veronica had been adamant in her promise that the relationship was over for good.

Betty had no idea what the two saw in each other.

They were both amazing in their own right, though if she were taking sides, she would have chosen Veronica, they were best friends, but they made a miserable couple, constantly unhappy, always threatening to break up, only to be back together by the next day. After almost two years of roller coaster emotions, Veronica had finally gotten fed up, and left him two weeks before the school year ended.

After four beers, Reggie had openly admitted to hoping for a reconciliation, while Veronica had made a very _different_ kind of confession, drunk admissions were not uncommon in their circle of friends, only nights before, though neither seemed to remember the words that had left the other's mouth.

Reggie wanted Veronica, but Veronica didn't want Reggie. She wanted... _Archie._

She had spent the entire evening gushing to Betty about their shared friend after a commemorated toast in honor of Jason, talking about how he had bulked up over the summer, Betty didn't see any difference, and how _hot_ he looked when he played his guitar, Betty had never really noticed.

What she _had_ realized within the last year was that the one-sided crush she had been harboring on the boy next door since the fifth grade had begun to fade, her feelings slowly melting away until they were merely platonic.

It shouldn't have bothered her to hear Veronica, who she wanted to be happy, more than anything, talking about wanting to move on, admitting that she was interested in Archie, who she would have looked absolutely adorable with, but it did, it really did, and what really made her blood boil was the knowledge that Archie might have been interested in Veronica too.

It seemed that tragedy had brought them closer together.

During the funeral, Archie had sat in between them, his arm tight across Veronica's shoulders as she sniffled, and suddenly, there were a dozen inside jokes between the two, Veronica got to hear the songs he had written seconds after they were perfected when Betty had always been the first one he played them for.

She was second best in Archie's life once again, and she wasn't sure if she could handle feeling like that a second time. Archie would never look at her the way he looked at Veronica.

It was so _easy_ to be jealous of Veronica Lodge, even with all her familial drama, even though she was the best friend Betty had ever had.

Betty dug her nails into the palm of her hand.

God, she just wanted to run away sometimes. She stared at the entrance for a moment.

 _What was stopping her?  
_

"Wow, Cooper, you're going to leave before Jim, Judy and Plato can act like the perfect family? That doesn't sound like you."

* * *

He had just gone on break.

The movie playing was _Rebel Without A Cause_ , not his first choice, but the people seemed to be enjoying it. Everyone, that was, other that the familiar looking blonde, her hair loose around her shoulders for once, standing only yards away from the friends who hadn't noticed that she seemed lost, deep in thought.

His statement made her nearly jump out of her skin, but instead of shooting her an apologetic look, or saying the words aloud, he smirked, his signature response.

Betty stared at him for several seconds, and he wondered if she was going to say anything at all.

"I... Um..." She drew out.

Now, Jughead was wondering if she was scared of him.

"I was getting popcorn." Betty declared finally.

"Concession stand's that way." He snickered, jerking his thumb in the opposite direction.

"Yeah, well..." She wound her arms around her midsection, a clear indicator that she was either upset, or uncomfortable, maybe both. "I know."

"And you haven't gotten any popcorn _because?"_

Her eyes narrowed, an expression she had inherited during her years of popularity, no doubt.

"Why do you care?" Betty demanded.

Jughead's heart sank.

Their first real conversation in almost three years, and somehow, someway, he had no idea, he had insulted her.

"Sorry." He mumbled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

He started to walk away.

"Wait." Betty called, her tone still so hesitant.

Jughead didn't stop.

She let out a sigh, full of frustration.

"Jug."

Hearing his nickname, a stupid little variation of the name he had chosen for himself because he refused to use his true name, a name she and Archie had come up with in the first place, shouldn't have affected him so much, but it had him spinning back around to face her, taking a few steps closer, his gaze locking into her own.

"Is it true?" She questioned.

He didn't even have to ask.

"Yeah." Jughead replied. "Looks like we're going to be classmates again, Betts."

The term of endearment was a slip, and they both knew it. He hadn't meant to call her _Betts_ anymore than she had meant to call him _Jug._ They weren't allowed to use each other's nicknames anymore.

"Oh." She said.

His eyebrow arched upward.

 _"Oh?"_ He challenged, smirking again.

Betty's arms tightened across her chest. "Yeah. Oh."

"Oh." Jughead mimicked, suddenly growing irritated, if not angry. "Just say it, Cooper."

"Say what?"

"You _know_ what, Betty." He snapped. "It's written all over your face."

"Jughead." She pronounced carefully. "I don't know what you're-"

"You don't want the Serpents at Riverdale High!"

Betty stared at him, her expression unreadable. "I never said that."

"You didn't have to." He grumbled. "It's written all over your face."

She shook her head. "You don't know me, Jug."

Oh but he did, he probably knew her better than she would ever realize.

"Believe what you want, _Betts."_ Jughead shot back.

She opened her mouth to reply.

"B!"

Chuck Clayton began to near them, clutching the hand of some younger, dark haired girl, pulling her along behind him.

Jughead's jaw tightened.

"V is asking for you." He announced, glancing back and forth between Betty and Jughead several times. "Is there a problem here?"

"No!" Betty insisted, a little too loudly. "No, of course not. I'm going to... We need popcorn."

"Bailey will go with you." Chuck offered.

She nodded quickly, not sparing Jughead a second glance as she spun on her heel, heading off towards the concession stand.

"Jones." Chuck greeted.

Jughead sneered. "Chuck."

"Hm." He mused, watching the girls walk away. "Betty Cooper is looking _fine_ this evening. Don't you think, Jughead?"

Something in Jughead snapped. He caught the football player off guard, grabbing him by the shoulders and pinning him to the side of the empty ticket booth.

Despite the hand nearly around his throat, Chuck didn't seem fazed by his anger.

"Temper temper." He teased, a smug grin spreading across his face.

"Did you not learn your lesson the first time?" Jughead hissed.

His smile disappeared as the same memory played in both their minds, Chuck beaten nearly into unconsciousness, Jughead walking away victorious, his knuckles bruised and bloodied.

"When are you going to learn _yours?"_ He retorted.

Jughead kneed him in the groin just for the hell of it. "And what lesson would that be?"

"The most obvious lesson there is." Chuck replied, grinning again. "Cheerleaders don't _do_ Serpents, Jarhead. Betty Cooper will never give _you_ the time of day out of anything other than pity. She'll be much happier with someone like _me."_

His blood boiled.

He threw his arm back, ready to swing, but then thought better of it. The last thing he needed was to explain to Betty _why_ he had punched her supposed friend.

"I think I deserve another shot with her." He added.

Jughead shoved him away. "If you go anywhere _near_ her, I'll..."

An awkward silence fell between them.

"You'll..." Chuck mocked, chuckling. "Finish a sentence?"

His hands curled into fists.

He would be damned if he let Chuck Clayton get within an inch of her a second time.

Jughead shoved him, a cold smirk gracing his lips when the mighty football player landed with a grunt against the ticket booth yet again.

"Don't forget, Clayton." He said, his tone laced with nonchalance. "The Serpents are coming to Riverdale. Don't think I won't be watching."

Chuck managed a scoff. "Whatever, Jarhead."

Jughead walked away to finish his shift, completely aware of the vow he had just made. He knew what his friends would say, demanding to know how he could possibly protect someone he didn't know anymore, someone who had enough protection already, but he couldn't back down.

He wouldn't. Not when Betty was involved. As impossible as his promise seemed, he intended to keep it.


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh Arch..." Betty shook her head. "I don't know if this is such a good idea."

Veronica's head bobbed up and down in agreement. "Sorry, Archiekins, but I'm with Betty on this one. It just seems so... _Morbid."_

"Babe." Reggie began out of habit, quickly trailing off when he caught sight of Veronica's glare. "I mean, uh, _Ronnie_ , it's not _morbid_ , it's... It's..."

"It's in remembrance." Kevin finished, and Reggie shot him a grin. "Come on guys, it's a great idea."

They were torn, Archie, Reggie and Kevin for it, Betty, Veronica and surprisingly Chuck, completely against it, with Moose somewhere in the middle.

"What's a great idea?" A familiar voice demanded.

"Cheryl!" They said in unison.

Betty gave her friend the onceover.

She looked pulled together enough, her hair hanging past her waist in flawless curls, and she had paired a white tank top with a bright red skirt. Her eyes looked sort of sad, faraway, like she was pretending she wasn't really there, and she had lost a little weight, not that she had needed to.

They all took turns welcoming her.

Betty thought the hug she received was a few seconds longer than the others had gotten, but she pretended not to notice, squeezing Cheryl back with everything she had.

Moose gave her his spot beside Kevin, who reached out and laced their fingers together. Cheryl managed to give him a watery smile.

"What were you hens gossiping about?" She asked. "What's a great idea?"

Archie shot Betty a nervous look.

Cheryl rolled her eyes. "Archiekins, I'm not made of glass, just spit it out."

"Well..." Archie replied, actively avoiding her gaze. "We were just... We were thinking that maybe... Not that you would have to come with us... I just thought that maybe..."

"We were thinking about going camping." Kevin blurted out. "At Sweet Water River."

Several pairs of eyes narrowed.

"What?" He asked. "Archie was taking forever."

Veronica shook her head, partially in amusement, partially in annoyance, turning back to the River Vixen captain. "What do you think, Cher?"

Betty fully expected her to disagree, or to tell at them, her reaction would have been very valid, and they were so used to her outbursts, her borderline cruel comments. her sarcastic sense of humor. These were all the things that made her Cheryl Blossom, they wouldn't have changed a thing about her.

Instead, Cheryl surprised them all.

Her smile became more genuine, and she. "Let's do it."


	8. Chapter 8

"Guys." Betty drew out, as Archie threw the gear shift upward, parking the car at the top of the hill. "I'm not so sure about this."

"B." Veronica reached back to give her hand a squeeze. "Relax. This is for Jason."

How quickly she had changed her attitude, and all it had taken was a little prodding on Archie's part to get her to come around to the idea.

Reggie pulled in behind them, Cheryl in between himself and Chuck. He shot a glare in the direction of Archie's baby blue vintage wheels, though Betty knew the look was only directed at his ex-girlfriend, and maybe Archie, whose arm was currently draped across the back of Veronica's seat.

"Thanks for the ride, Archiekins." She told him, reaching for her knapsack. "I'm not sure how much more of Reggie's begging I can take."

Archie smiled tentatively at her. "Any time, Ronnie."

Unable to take their flirting, as subtle and non-existent as it seemed, Betty pushed the back door open, throwing her legs out. She began to stumble, and an unfamiliar hand shot out, fingers locking around her wrist to yank her back.

"Careful B." Chuck whispered in her ear, pulling her close. "We don't want a repeat of last year, now do we?"

Archie too, exited from the car, Veronica emerging seconds later.

"Betty." He called. "Can you help me with the tent?"

Grateful for his timing, intentional or not, she pushed Chuck away and went to stand beside Archie, waiting as he unlocked the trunk. He paused, glanced back at her for a moment, and offered her a knowing look that seemed to say: _I won't leave you alone with him, I promise._

Betty squeezed his arm in response.

"Oh my god!" Cheryl said. "You actually did something different with your hair, B!"

She had traded her iconic ponytail in for two braids, courtesy of Veronica. Since Jason's passing, Betty had been spending less and less time at home, finding solace in the usually empty Lodge residence. Veronica swore that she was more than happy to have her, and Betty believed her. It had to be lonely in that lavish apartment, one of the fanciest in Riverdale.

Kevin surveyed her as he stepped out of Moose's jeep.

"I _guess_ I like it." He mumbled, after a moment, a grin spreading across his face and Betty ruffled his already perfectly tousled hair.

* * *

"Chuck." Reggie decided, taking another sip of his beer.

"Hm." The football player muttered, staring hard at the dying fire. "I think I'm going to have to say the party at the end of sophomore year."

Everyone besides Betty laughed.

Instead, she blinked, racking her brain to try and remember that night. She thought Veronica had again convinced her to wear her hair down, and she could almost recall Cheryl curling it for her.

She had worn a dress, a surprise birthday present from Polly that Alice hadn't known about, strapless, cute, short and black, a far cry from the usual pastel colors she was accustomed to, with a pair of heels she had pulled from Veronica's closet, but after that, nothing.

"Ronnie?"

"Falling into the orchestra pit." Veronica replied easily, her back pressed up against Archie's legs. "I might have messed up on my solo from laughing so hard, but Jason's reaction was more than worth it."

This time, Betty joined the others in laughing.

It had been Chuck's idea, oddly enough, to give their friend a proper send off, so they were all sitting around the fire, drinking and telling war stories. Cheryl had been listening quietly, her eyes brimming with tears, and yet, a genuine smile on her face.

"B?"

She was the last to go.

"Sneaking into Riverdale cemetery." Betty said.

Jason scared them all that night, slipping away when their eyes were still closed, jumping out at them from behind a headstone when they went to look for them. Reggie had screamed the loudest, nearly jumping into Moose's arms.  
Archie seemed to be thinking the same thing, because as he glanced at his friend, he began to cackle. Reggie mocked him for a moment, chucking the empty beer can at him in response.

"Ha ha." He grumbled. "Very funny, Andrews."

Veronica smiled at him. "At least Moose was there to catch you."

"Oh, shut up, Ronnie."

Betty cast a glance at Cheryl, suddenly growing concerned. "You okay, Cher?"

"Fine." She promised, but it didn't sound convincing.

"Cheryl-" Kevin began.

"Really." Cheryl insisted. "I'm okay... Thank you, guys?"

Veronica raised an eye brow. "For what?"

"For..." She gestured to their setup, the three tents, the cooler filled with refreshments of every kind, even the bag of marshmallows currently balanced on Moose's knee. "This, all of it, for being here, for being my friends, for not being afraid to say JJ's name in front of me without worrying that I'll shatter into a million tiny pieces... In case I don't ever say it again, you guys are my family."

Reggie nudged Kevin. "How much has she had to drink?"

"Shut up!" Cheryl snapped, fixing him with a glare that even put Veronica to shame.

Betty laughed again, slowly rising to her feet. She brushed the dirt away from her jean shorts and cast another glance at their pathetic excuse for a fire. It had always been Jason's job to keep the flame going.

"We're going to need more wood if we wanna make s'mores." She declared. "Be right back."

"Betty." Archie called. "You shouldn't go out there alone."

"I'll go." Chuck offered, also standing.

Archie's jaw tightened. "No, that's okay, I'll-"

At that moment, Veronica had chosen to stand, and in the near darkness, she managed to trip over one of the logs that had been acting as a seat.

"Ouch!" She cried.

Reggie and Archie were at her side within seconds, simultaneously asking if she was all right.

"Are you okay, V?" Betty asked, taking a step towards her.

"Fine." Veronica mumbled, allowing both of them to pull her to her feet. "Just our bad luck striking again... Okay, ow!"

"We need to get a look at your ankle." Archie advised. "I've got a first aid kit in the car... Betty, can you wait for a second?"

"Just help Veronica." She told him. "Chuck and I can get the wood."

"Betty-"

"Oh for goodness sake, Andrews!" Cheryl snapped, cutting him off. "Chuck and Betty will be just fine. Now will you please knock off the protective best friend act and get our poor V off of that ankle?"

With a sigh, full of frustration and annoyance, Archie hooked Veronica's arm around his neck, swinging her up into the air.

Kevin and Reggie followed along behind them, flashlight in hand.

"Come on, B." Chuck's hand enclosed over her own, squeezing softly. "Let's get some wood before the fire dies."

Moose raised an eye brow in concern as he pulled her along behind him, but before he could say something, Cheryl began to speak, pulling all his attention back to her.

Betty yanked her arm free, taking several steps away from him to create an invisible barrier. Chuck had led her pretty far away from the campsite, their friends voices barely audible over the creatures that only dwelled at night, and the sound of the river.

"I'll go this way." Betty volunteered.

He caught hold of her again. "Hang on, B, there's no rush."

"The fire's going to die soon, Chuck." She reminded him, trying to remove herself from his grasp.

His grip only tightened.

"The dark is sort of romantic." Chuck tried. "With all the stars. Why don't we go down to the water, take a late night dip?"

"I..." Her hands began to shake, her voice quivered. "I don't have my swim suit."

Chuck's teeth gleamed as he smirked.

"Who says you need one?"

And then, he was pulling her towards him, his lips puckered. She was hit with the flash of a memory, gone so quickly, she had to strain to remember it,

 _You're looking mighty fine tonight, B.  
_

"N-No!" Betty cried, pushing him away. "Get off of me, Chuck! Stay away from me!"

His arms locked around her waist in an unbreakable hold.

"Aww, c'mon B." Chuck sneered, nuzzling her neck. "Why are you acting so shy? It's nothing I haven't seen before. _I'm_ the only one who knows the _real_ you, the Betty I think about every night before I go to bed. You wanted it then, and you want it now."

He leaned in to kiss her.

Betty managed to get a hand free, her hand connecting against his cheek with a loud smack.

A furious look crossed Chuck's face, and the last thing she saw before she tumbled backwards was his own hand raising to strike her back.


	9. Chapter 9

"You're sure it's not broken?" She asked, and not for the first time.

"Ronnie." Archie managed a laugh, tightening his grip on her hand. "If it was broken, you would be screaming in pain right now. Relax, it's probably not even sprained."

Veronica considered his words.

"I'm drunk." She admitted, after a moment.

He laughed again. "I noticed."

Kevin and Reggie were just ahead of them, leading the way with the only flashlight. He could just barely make out the dim embers of their dying fire, Cheryl standing beside it, trying to warm herself.

"Archiekins." Veronica whined, halting them both.

"Ronnie." He began. "We're almost-"

"Carry me." She begged, holding her arms out. "I'm so tired."

"And drunk." Archie reminded her, grinning.

 _"Archie!"_

With a subtle roll of his eyes, he complied, lifting her up again. She weighed practically nothing, and despite the hours of fresh air, and their earlier dip in Sweet Water River, she still smelled vaguely like Chanel No. 5, her favorite perfume.

Her head fell heavily against his shoulder, and he allowed his cheek to rest against her soft raven curls for a second.

Moose and Cheryl were laughing about something when they finally arrived, and Chuck stepped forward, throwing several logs into the fire. Another match was lit, and the flames came to life once again.

Archie placed Veronica on the log he had been occupying earlier and took a quick glance around to ensure they were all accounted for.

One obvious person was missing, the only golden haired girl in a sea of brown, black and red.

"Chuck." He snapped, unwinding Veronica's arms from around his neck. "Where's Betty?"

Chuck seemed surprised. "She's not back yet?"

"Where the hell is she?" Kevin demanded, sounding angry.

He let his shoulders drop in a shrug. "Hell if I know. We split up."

Even Reggie looked alarmed. "You let her go off in the woods by herself? You _know_ Serpents like to hang around here!"

Archie snatched the flashlight from his hand. "I'm going to look for her."

Reggie began to follow him. "I'm coming with you."

* * *

The first thing she was aware of was a chill.

It had started getting cold around six, and although she had sworn that she was fine, her friends knew her better than that. Moose had finally pulled off the plaid button up that had been previously tied around his waist, despite her protests, draping it across her shoulders.

She tried to open her eyes, though found them too heavy to lift.

Her entire body was numb.

Where was she?

The last thing she remembered was leaving the campsite to retrieve firewood. Had she fallen again? Maybe they really did have bad luck when they went camping.

Then, she heard a different noise from a distance.

It was laughter at first, and for a moment, she thought it was the rest of the gang coming to her rescue, but none of the voices were the ones she was accustomed to.

"What is that?" A stranger demanded, his tone deeper than any of the boys she usually hung around with.

"Oh my god!" It was a girl, not Cheryl or Veronica, who had spoken. She'd gasped. "What is _that?_ Is it another body?" _  
_

"Shut up." A third snapped.

Leaves rustled, and a twig broke as someone seemingly moved closer.

"What are you-"

"Shut up." He said again, sounding so close and yet so far away, so familiar, but so new, so foreign, the same voice that had haunted her dreams for longer than she would ever admit. "Hey... Are you all right? What happened to you?"

She managed to groan in pain, still unable to open her eyes.

"Zombie!"

"Shut up!" The girl echoed angrily. "Dumb ass."

"Betty?"

There was alarm in his tone now.

 _"Betty."_ He repeated anxiously. More leaves crunched under the weight of heavy footsteps, and she wondered if she was surrounded. "Betty, hey, what the hell happened?"

Darkness was beginning to overtake her again, slowly but surely.

"Betty." Someone grasped her shoulders, almost shaking her. "Betty, are you okay? Open your eyes."

She wanted to comply with his request, if only to see his own beautiful irises, she had always loved the color, she tried, but she was in too much pain to follow through with the plea.

"Shit, man, she's bleeding, dude."

"Thanks, Sherlock." He hissed. His rough hand moved upward to cup her cheek, his palm cool against her skin. "I can see that. Betty? Come on, Cooper, wake up."

"I don't think she can hear you..."

There was an oddly familiar smacking sound as someone was slapped. Hard.

 _Chuck._ Betty thought, trying and failing to hold onto the memory. _Chuck hit me._

"She's not _dead_ , idiot." The girl sounded even more irritated now. "She's just knocked out."

"We're sure she's breathing?"

"If you say _one_ more word..."

"Knock it off. Both of you." A gentler hand brushed a few strands of blonde hair away from her eyes. "What are we going to do?"

His palm fell away, and it sounded like he was searching for something. When he didn't find what he was looking for, he cursed under his breath, a habit she had once scolded him for the first time she witnessed him doing it. They were only in seventh grade, she had told him, he didn't need to be talking like that.

She wanted to scold him again, more than anything, she wanted to berate him, pretending to be mad until that familiar smirk, not as smug as it was now, graced his lips, and she would inevitably end up grinning too, her faux anger easily melting away.

"Sweet Pea, give me your bandana." He ordered. "Elizabeth Cooper, you stay awake, do you hear me? Don't you dare fall asleep."

 _Sweet Pea?_ Her mind wondered, and in any other situation, she would have smiled. _What kind of name is Sweet Pea?_

Not that her given name was any better. Why had he addressed her as such, anyway? He'd only ever called her Elizabeth when he wanted to get on her nerves. Now it was something different entirely.

"Aww, man, c'mon, this is my lucky one!"

"Well it hasn't been very _lucky_ so far." Two voices teased together.

"Give it!" He barked. "She's losing a lot of blood."

A few obscenities later, a rough fabric was being pressed against her forehead. She could feel a wetness seeping through. Was he right? Was she really bleeding? She was too numb, too cold, too tired to feel much of anything.

Suddenly she was glad her eyes were closed; she hated the sight of blood. Was he glad too? He'd always teased her for being so squeamish.

He wasn't afraid of anything.

"What are you going to do?" She asked again.

He ignored her.

"Betty."

She ignored him, though not completely on purpose.

"Betts?" He whispered, using the name that only he had been able to call her. "What happened?"

* * *

She only groaned in pain.

Jughead glanced back at Toni, his eyes widening in fear.

He had seen far worse, cleaning the worst of wounds after his fellow Serpents had finished a job gone wrong, but finding Betty alone in the middle of the clearing behind Sweet Water River, technically on the Southside, barely conscious, blood gushing from her head, scared him more than anything else ever could.

"We should go." Sweet Pea mumbled.

He was really getting on Jughead's last nerve.

"We can't just leave her." Toni argued, and he was grateful for her presence, for her sanity, her calm, cool and collected demeanor.

"What the hell are we supposed to do with a Northsider?" He shot back. "How did she even get here?"

"We'll worry about that later." Jughead decided, slinging Betty's arm around his neck.

Sweet Pea stared at him. "What are you _doing?"_

"I'm not leaving her here."

"Jughead-"

"I'm not _leaving_ her." He hissed, lifting her from the ground. Betty winced, but he had no time to worry about if he was injuring her further. "Come on. Let's go."

Fangs took the lead, Toni and Sweet Pea following him. Jughead lagged behind, the extra weight in his arms slowing him slightly.

"Betts." He muttered, low enough for only her to hear. The name wasn't a slip this time. "Betty, hey, can you hear me? Everything's okay now. You're going to be fine."

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of his voice.

"J-Juggie?" She whispered.

"I'm right here, Betts." Jughead promised, his grip tightening.

Betty's head fell heavily against his shoulder. "I didn't want it."

"W-What?" He wasn't sure why he had stuttered. "You didn't... Betty, what are you-"

"I didn't want it." She repeated, a little more firmly this time. "I didn't, I swear I didn't."

He didn't have to ask again.

"Betty." Jughead said, the urgency clear in his tone. "You can't fall asleep, okay? Don't fall asleep. You have to keep talking. Talk to me, tell me what you remember. Please."

"I didn't want it." She insisted, blinking several times.

Then, her eyes closed.

"Betty!" He snapped. "Damn it, Betty, stay awake. Talk to me! Tell me what you remember!"

She only snuggled into him more, a content smile on her face despite the blood dripping from her forehead.

"Juggie." She muttered.

* * *

She woke again to sharp movements, and something being pressed up against her brow. She felt light headed, and the scent of gasoline, leather, cigarettes and aftershave currently filling her nostrils did little to help the nauseous feeling slowly creeping up in her stomach.

"C'mon, Betts." He murmured in her ear. "I need you to stay awake. Keep talking to me."

She was being carried, she realized, the arms cradling her familiar enough, a comfort she hadn't felt in so long. She muttered something under her breath, what, she had no idea, but it made him chuckle just the same, and he brought his hand up to brush the hair from her face.

And then, someone else was calling her name.

"Shit." A deep voice mumbled.

"Who was that?"

"Archie." He answered, without hesitation. "Figures he'd come to save the day, huh Betts?"

Betty thought she might have sighed.

"What the hell do we do now?"

"Shut up!" He snapped. "Damn it, just give me a minute to think."

"We don't have a minute." The girl pointed out. The people calling for her were growing closer.

"What do we do?"

"Just leave her."

The person supporting her weight tightened their grip, almost crushing her to their chest.

"Jug-"

"Not a chance." He declared.

"You don't have a choice!" She argued. "She's one of theirs."

"Toni-"

"We protect our own, Jug."

"I _am_ protecting my own."

"Jughead, I remember the promise you made, but she's not in any danger. Her friends are looking for her. She'll probably be safer with them."

 _Promise?_ Betty thought. _What promise?  
_

Jughead scoffed. "You obviously haven't met the people she hangs around with."

"What, and you think she'll be safer with you?"

 _"Betty?"_

It was Archie calling her, his tone desperate, pleading, and exactly what Jughead seemed to need to cause him to pause.

"Jug." The girl said, a little more sternly this time.

He sighed in response.

"Okay."

Suddenly, Betty felt herself being lowered, gently, a hand underneath her head as if he were trying to cushion the agony of them being separated all over again. She opened her eyes to find a familiar pair of blue irises staring back at her in concern.

He crouched down beside her.

"Juggie." She whispered.

He traced her cheek with a hesitant finger.

"I'm sorry Betts." He muttered, and as her lids became heavy, he was gone.

* * *

"Arch." Reggie muttered, catching hold of his arm. "Look."

Archie followed his line of sight, his own eyes widening when he saw a familiar golden haired girl lying in the grass.

"Betty!" He yelled, Kevin echoing him.

The three boys ran to her.

Archie dropped to his knees, his hands curling around her shoulders. He started to shake her, but then thought better of it. Her breathing was shallow, and from the dim beam of the flashlight, he wasn't sure when he had given it to Reggie, he could tell that there was a bleeding scrape across her forehead that might need stitches.

"Betty?" He demanded anxiously. "Betty, can you hear me?"

She groaned in pain, and although it wasn't much, he was still glad to hear it.

"Betty." Archie said again. "What happened?"

"And where did that bandana come from?" Kevin asked.

"Later Kev." He muttered. "Betty?"

She whimpered, her eyes slowly opening as she glanced around in confusion.

"Arch?" Betty stared up at him.

Archie managed a tentative smile. "I'm here, Betty, I'm right here."

"Where's Juggie?" She whispered, slowly bringing a hand up to touch her forehead.

He blocked her easily.

"Jug?" Archie echoed warily, his brows knitting together. "Betty, what are you... It's just us here. You, me, Kevin and Reg."

Reggie had kneeled down, the flashlight pointing directly at her.

Betty tried to sit up, but he held her down with a firm hand, pressing her shoulder into the dirt. The last thing he needed was for her to rise too quickly.

"I think you might have a concussion, B." He admitted.

She winced. "I think you're right."

"What happened?" Kevin questioned, his fingers locking around her wrist.

"Please don't be checking my pulse." Betty mumbled, still somewhat in her right mind.

Reggie leveled his gaze at her. "What happened, B? Chuck said you guys split up."

Archie paused, still wondering if he had any reason to doubt Chuck's story. His gut told him not to believe it, that there was more to it than the rest of the of them knew, but the only person who could set the record straight was Betty.

"What happened when you left the campsite?" Kevin urged.

Betty's gaze locked into Archie's.

"Where's Jug?" She demanded again.

Kevin and Reggie shared an unreadable look.

"Dude." Reggie muttered, clapping him on the back as if to try and get his attention. "Why does she keep asking for Jughead Jones?"

"Hell if I know." Archie replied.

"He was here." Betty insisted. "He carried me. Did you know he was so strong, Arch? I didn't."

"The bandana!" Kevin pointed out.

"No." Betty shook her head, a little too quickly for his liking. "Juggie doesn't wear bandanas, Kev, remember? He has his beanie... It kind of looks like a crown. And really, who wears a beanie in the middle of summer? Only Jughead."

Reggie's bewilderment turned to concern. "I think Betty having a concussion is a safe bet."

"Oh, really?"

"We should go camping!" Betty declared, again trying to stand.

Archie's grip tightened. When had she gotten so strong?

"B, we _were_ camping, remember?"

"The only place you're going is the hospital." Archie told her.

She pouted. "Oh, Archie, I'm fine! See!"

Before he could stop her, she sprang to her feet, and she would have fallen if not for Kevin and Reggie, simultaneously reaching out to grasp her arms. For whatever reason, Betty giggled at their reactions.

Archie used her distraction to his benefit, grabbing her around the waist. He anchored her to his chest, holding her tight.

She stopped laughing. "I want to see him, Arch."

He shook his head. "The only person you're seeing is a doctor, Cooper."

Betty frowned at the sound of her last name, and Archie mentally cursed himself. Only one person had ever called her that, the very same person she had been asking for since he had found her.

"I need to see him, Arch." She repeated. "I remember. I remember everything. He needs to know. I remember."

Archie stared at her.

* * *

"I remember everything."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Jughead finally felt like he had something in common with his former best friend.

Astonishment. Complete and utter shock at the words mumbled by the girl next door.

"Jug." Toni hissed, her voice barely above a whisper.

He waved her away.

Fangs and Sweet Pea hadn't gone far, he could smell the stench of cigarettes, not that that had ever stopped him from smoking them himself, a mile up the path or so. They had tried to convince him to leave, but he couldn't, not without knowing that she was going to be okay.

Toni had grabbed his arm to stop him from giving away their hiding spot when Betty sprang into the air, trying to prove a point that had no merit. His face had formed a permanent scowl as Archie looped his arms around the girl's waist, pulling her close.

He was still holding her, struggling to keep his grip steady, and Jughead wanted to laugh. Ninety-five-pound Betty Cooper, she had always been tiny, a lightweight, was somehow stronger that weight lifting, football playing Archie Andrews.

She was tougher than anyone, even himself at times, gave her credit for.

But she was also fragile, she broke easily, and this was one of the times that she was broken, not just physically, at some point, Kevin had picked up the blood stained bandana, glaring at it with disgust before pressing it to the scrape against her forehead yet again, but emotionally, and he didn't think she even realized it.

If she really remembered, if this wasn't simply the concussion talking, then he had a _lot_ of explaining to do. That was, if she would ever consciously give him the time of day again.

Even if she didn't, he was going to get to the bottom of this, starting with why Archie, Betty and the rest of their friends had been at Sweet Water River in the first place.

"Jug." Fangs whispered.

A twig snapped under his boot.

"What was that?" He heard Kevin demand.

"I don't know." Archie replied, swinging Betty up into his arms. "But I'm not waiting around to find out. Come on, guys."

"Archie!" Betty whined. "Put me down! I want to see Juggie!"

Jughead's heart sank at her words. God, how he wished she really meant it.


	10. Chapter 10

"Betty." He muttered, his palm sweaty against her shoulder as he tried to shake her awake. "Come on, get up. You know you're not supposed to be sleeping. You have a concussion."

"A mild one." She grumbled in response. "What do you want, Archie?"

Archie dropped down onto her bed, the bouncing mattress making her head ache even more.

"I need to talk to you." He said.

With a groan, Betty rolled over, slowly sitting up with his help.

She was surprised her mother had let him into her room at all; Alice had not been pleased to find two half-tipsy teenage boys, even if one of them was Kevin, at her door, her seventeen-year-old daughter, bandaged, bloodied, concussed and blabbering incoherently, in between them, her arms tossed around their shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Betty asked.

Archie nearly smiled. "I should be asking you that. Do you remember what happened?"

She shook her head.

The best explanation was that she had lost her footing some time after she had gone to retrieve wood for the fire, sliding down an embankment when she slipped, hitting her head on a rock in the process and knocking herself unconscious. Apparently, the doctor had said that it wouldn't have been strange for her not to remember much of the night before.

"What's up, Arch?"

His lips formed a thin line, and he remained silent for a few moments, as if searching for the right words.

"Betty." Archie pronounced carefully. "Last night, you kept telling me that you remembered, that you remembered _everything_... What did you mean by that?"

Betty blinked.

"I don't know." She admitted. She didn't recall _any_ of that.

The only memory coming to mind was Cheryl complaining about the bandage currently plastered to her forehead to cover the stitches. She'd shaken her head in disgust, mumbling something about how the gauze would clash with Betty's Vixen uniform, whatever that meant.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Positive." Betty replied. "I have no idea what I was talking about."

Archie still seemed unsure, but he rose, patting her knee.

"Get dressed." He said. "We're meeting the gang at Pop's. They want to see for themselves that you're still alive."

Betty groaned. "Archie, I want to sleep."

"Not a chance." Archie told her. "I'll stay up here if I have to, B."

With a defeated eye roll, she threw her covers back, slowly standing. The world was finally steady again.

He raised an eye brow in faux amusement. "You want me to stay, right?"

"Oh, get out!" She laughed, tossing a frilly throw pillow towards him. It missed him by at least a mile. "I'll be down in a second."

"Betty, if you go back to bed-"

 _"Archie!"_ Betty warned. "Get out!"

"Okay, okay." He chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender as he reached for the door knob.

A thought suddenly hit her hard, making her brain feel even more jumbled.

She _did_ remember something else, something far more significant that Cheryl's criticisms.

"Arch?"

He paused. "Yeah?"

"Was..." Betty began, avoiding his gaze in favor of her shaggy white carpet. "Was Jughead really there last night?"

Archie sighed. "I don't know, B. You claimed that you saw him, but you were alone when we found you."

But Archie hadn't been the one to find her, at least, he hadn't been the first.

No, someone else, sounding more panicked than she had ever heard him, she still didn't understand why Jughead would have been so worried about her, she didn't deserve his concern, someone else had pulled her from the ground before her friends.

Someone had tried to help her first.

 _I am protecting my own._ He had said.

He had been protecting her, though from _what_ , exactly, she didn't know, but she did know that she wanted to find out, no matter the cost.

Not that Jughead owed her any sort of explanation, especially after the way she had treated him.

He didn't owe her a thing.

"Betty?" Archie's voice snapped her back to reality. "You okay?"

"Sure." She promised, yanking a random dress from her closet. "I'll be down in a sec."


	11. Chapter 11

"Well." Fangs muttered, staring up at the school. "This is gonna suck."

"It's not all bad." Sweet Pea offered, and the rest of the Serpents about to enter Riverdale High leaned toward him, waiting for his idea of a bright side. "Jughead gets to see his Northside Princess again."

His friends chuckled.

Jughead socked him in the shoulder, unable to stop the last memory he had of Betty from replaying on a loop in his mind; blood still dripping from her forehead, her eyes half closed as she drifted in and out of consciousness in Archie's arms, the last thing he'd heard her say before she was whisked away by her friends.

She had asked for him.

"C'mon dude." Sweet Pea tried, shoving him back. "At least you don't have to watch her from afar now... A little creepy if you ask me, but hey, if _I_ had a girl that pretty at my disposal, I would probably stalk her too."

He gave his friend a good-natured jab to the stomach. "Sweet Pea, if you go anywhere near her, I will kick your ass into next Wednesday."

"But today is Tuesday..."

When Jughead smacked his forehead in frustration, Toni caught hold of his arm, tugging him along behind her through the double doors.

Though he had only attended the school for a semester his freshman year, Jughead remembered that four months vividly.

He recalled watching his two best friends be torn away from him, Kevin too, doomed to be popular, and he could still feel the way he had felt then, completely powerless to stop it.

As he stepped into the main hallway, he remembered watching Archie and Betty interact with their new posse, becoming a little more like them every day. Betty would sometimes wave when she saw him, but Archie had just looked right through him, like he had never been there at all, and that hurt more than anything.

The Serpents turned heads as they entered the building, the leather jackets proudly proclaiming that they were from the Southside.

"Oh my god!"

The familiar voice made him pause, the gang following his lead.

Betty stood on the landing between the first and second floor, her friends surrounding her. She was laughing, genuinely, Jughead still knew the difference, as Cheryl Blossom dangled some sort of royal blue bandage in front of her.

"Cheryl!" She exclaimed, still laughing. "How did you-"

"Oh honey, it was nothing." Cheryl replied, waving her away. She pressed the colored gauze into Betty's hand. "Now can you please change that thing? White does _not_ go with your uniform. Blue, however..."

"Okay, okay." Betty muttered, shaking her head in amusement. "But someone's gonna have to help me... V?"

Veronica Lodge made a face, holding up her gleaming nails. "Sorry, B, French Tips. Kev?"

"Are you kidding?" Moose chuckled, thumping Kevin on the back. "Keller and blood? I'll have to carry him to the nurse."

Kevin leaned in to whisper something in the football player's ear, but Jughead distinctly heard his words. He was a Serpent, he had to have good hearing.

"I wouldn't _mind_ you carrying me to the nurse per say."

Moose grinned in response.

"Cher?" Betty asked.

"Ew." She mimicked Veronica's expression. "I got you the damn things, B, what more do you want?"

"I'll do it." Chuck offered.

Jughead took a determined step forward.

If he so much as laid a finger on her...

"Jug." Toni warned.

"No." Archie said, finally emerging from the notebook he had been engrossed in. "It's fine, I'll do it. I changed it for her yesterday."

He shoved his backpack at Reggie and took the gauze from Betty's hand. His face was apologetic as he began to peal away the old bandage.

Jughead caught sight of the angry red mark that had been so hard to see in the dark. Several stitches held the wound closed, and her right cheek was marked by several scrapes and a bruise that he hadn't noticed that night.

Archie disposed of the somewhat bloodied bandage, carefully replacing it with the one Cheryl had gifted Betty. When he was finished, he patted her shoulder with his free hand, the one he hadn't touched her with previously, and turned to Veronica, an expectant expression on his face.

She immediately passed him a small container of hand sanitizer.

"Thanks Ronnie."

"Any time, Archiekins." She responded, tossing her hair.

Sweet Pea snorted at the nickname, not that his was much better.

As Reggie handed him back his bag, he glanced over his shoulder, catching Jughead staring back at them, though mainly Betty, and he sneered.

"Why don't you take a picture, Jarhead?" He taunted.

"Reg." Veronica muttered, disapproval dripping from her tone.

"Oh, leave me alone, Ronnie." Reggie snapped, glaring at her. "You're not my girlfriend, so you don't get to tell me what to do anymore."

Betty smoothed the bandage with her own hand, slowly raising her eyes to meet Jughead's gaze.

An unrecognizable emotion flashed across her face.

"What's the matter, Jones?" Reggie demanded. "No clever little quip? Cat got your tongue?"

"Reggie." Betty said.

"Oh, B." Cheryl teased, squeezing the blonde's shoulder as she began to descend the staircase, Reggie the only one following her. "There's no reason to be shy around our new... _Peers."_

Toni tensed beside him.

"Cher." Veronica warned. "That's exactly what they are."

"Wrong, Veronica." Cheryl corrected, tossing her hair. "No one invited Southside scum to our school."

Jughead gritted his teeth, breaking his eye contact with Betty to stare down her friend instead.

"Listen up, Ragamuffins." She crossed her arms. "I will not allow Riverdale High's above average GPA to suffer because of classrooms that are overcrowded with underachievers."

Reggie laughed, Chuck smirked, Moose and Kevin stared at the tiled floor, Veronica studied her nails, Archie returned to his notebook, and Betty stayed frozen in place, watching the scene unfold.

"So please." Cheryl continued, looking from her friends, to her classmates, and finally at the Serpents. "Do us all a favor and find some other school to debase with your hardscrabble ways."

Toni started towards her, Jughead's extended arm the only thing stalling her. "Why don't you come over here and say that to my face?"

"Happily." She agreed with a false smile. She glanced Toni up and down. "Queen of the Buskers."

"All right." Mr. Weatherbee, the practically ancient school principal barked, his voice echoing off the even older walls of Riverdale High School. "That's enough pomp and circumstance. Everyone, let's get to class. Now."

Cheryl rolled her eyes behind the man's back, and with a flick of her hand, her loyal followers, Betty included, began to join her in the center of the hallway.

Veronica caught hold of Betty's wrist, pulling her close. The two began to whisper back and forth.

"B." Cheryl addressed her first, and Jughead's blood boiled. How could she be friends with someone like that? "V? is there something you two hens would like to share with the rest of the group?"

"No." The girls said together.

"I've got Algebra." Moose muttered. "I'll see you guys later."

"Yeah, me too." Kevin said, rushing to keep up with him. "Let's eat outside today!"

"I'm off to English!" Cheryl sang, starting off in the opposite direction.

"History." Reggie and Veronica muttered in unison.

They shot one another wary looks, but walked away together anyway, their arms brushing.

"Betty?" Archie asked.

"Chemistry." She answered.

"Me too."

"Same here." Chuck said with a grin. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "We should get going."

Toni caught his eye and offered him a subtle nod, a ghost of a smile on her face. Sometimes, he was grateful for a friend like her.

The two quickened their pace, and when they were close enough, Toni gave him a shove forward, causing him to knock into Chuck, and effectively freeing Betty from the football player's grasp.

"Jug." He heard her mumble, and he almost grinned.

She was actually scolding him. Some habits were hard to break.

Chuck stood up, his nostrils flaring. "What the hell was that for, freak?"

"I tripped." Jughead replied innocently. "I fell. It was an accident."

"The hell it was." He grumbled, pulling his arm back.

"Chuck!" Archie snapped, moving to stand in between them. He faced Chuck, and for a second, it almost felt like his old friend was actually coming to his defense, but he knew better.

The jacket Archie wore, the blue and gold Riverdale High School varsity jacket, with his name stenciled neatly across the left side, the very same jacket Chuck was wearing, proved very quickly just where his loyalty lay.

"Move, Andrews!" Chuck barked.

"He's not worth it." He hissed, shoving him again. "Okay? He's not worth it, and besides, if you get into a fight right now, you won't be starting on Friday. Is that what you want?"

Chuck paused, considering this.

Finally, he shook his head in disgust, brushing imaginary dust from the sleeves of his precious jacket.

"This isn't over." He warned, starting towards the stairs. "You'd better watch your back, Jarhead! You'll be sorry!"

Jughead rolled his eyes at Chuck's retreating figure. "Un huh."

He and Toni exchanged a high five, momentarily forgetting that they were not alone.

"What the hell was that, Jug?" Archie demanded.

Betty said nothing, her eyes glued to the floor.

"Don't worry about it, Arch." Jughead replied. Nicknames still came easily to the trio, even years later. "It has nothing to do with you."

He crossed his arms. "You're messing with my friends."

Jughead raised an eye brow. "You shouldn't be so quick to call Chuck Clayton your friend, Arch."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

His hands balled up into fists. He'd said too much.

"Nothing." He mumbled.

"No, Jug, go ahead." Archie challenged. "What did you mean by that?"

"Archie." Betty's voice was barely audible. "Come on. We're going to be late."

"Betty-"

She caught hold of his hand, yanking him along behind her.


	12. Chapter 12

_You shouldn't be so quick to call Chuck Clayton your friend._

What _had_ he meant by that?

As curious as she had been, and admittedly still was, the last thing she needed was Archie getting into a fight, especially not with Jughead.

Betty sighed, pressing a hand to her aching temple.

Apparently, it took seven-to-ten days for a concussion to heal, and she was only on day three. She was allowed to do _light_ physical activity, meaning Cheryl had had her sitting on the bench for most of their earlier practice.

She shouldn't have been straining herself at the Blue and Gold, but with the entire former staff having graduated the year before, Betty had been left in charge of writing every hard-hitting article. That was, until she found some help, but none of her friends were really the journalism type.

Just as she let out a groan, the alarm on her phone went off, alerting her that it was time to change her bandage yet again.

She pulled the dyed gauze Cheryl had given her from her purse, choosing yellow to go with the white and gold t-shirt she was still wearing, and moved over to the mirror someone had hung on the wall long before she had begun attending Riverdale High.

It was her first time removing the bandage by herself; Archie had helped a few times, her mother doing the rest.  
With a shaking hand, she reached up, and began to peal the adhesive from her forehead.

The first thing she saw was red.

She had also been warned that it was not uncommon for lacerations to bleed even after stitches had been applied, but she had not been made aware of _how_ much blood could seep through.

 _Don't look._ She willed herself. _Don't look._

It was too late.

Betty caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, and her knees buckled. She would have gone crashing forward towards the unused computers, ancient but still functional, had it not been for two hands encircling her arms, yanking her away at the last second.

Her back connected with something hard and muscular.

Her savior held her by the elbows, keeping her steady as they staggered towards the desk she had previously been occupying.

"Betty." An all too familiar voice muttered.

Slowly, Jughead turned her to face him.

She felt faint, for more reasons than one, and she was grateful that he had yet to release her.

He studied her for a moment, then, the smirk he had always been famous for, still more smug than she was used to, spread across his face.

"I forgot how squeamish you are." He mused.

Betty glared at him, and he chuckled, lowering her back into her chair. He reached for the box of Kleenexes she always kept nearby, pulled out a handful, and perched on top of the desk, pressing the wad to her stitches.

They didn't speak as he set to work.

When the bleeding stopped, he threw the tissues into the trash can furthest away from her, and retrieved the bandage, expertly applying the gauze to her cut with quick, but gentle fingertips. Finished, he leaned away from her slightly to admire his handiwork.

Betty finally found the courage to speak. "T-Thank you."

Jughead shrugged, making no moves to get up from the desk. They stared at one another for a few moments, both unsure of what to say.

She couldn't help but ask, though the words that left her mouth did not form the same sentence that had been playing on a loop in her mind since the entire day.

"What are you doing here so late?" She demanded.

He chuckled, the sound darker than she remembered, a far cry from the carefree laugh he'd had when they were kids. "I could ask you the same thing."

The game of back and forth was nothing new; Jughead hardly if ever gave the first answer, he was good at throwing rhetorical questions back at her in response, he always had been.

"I asked you first."

"So?"

She frowned. "So, what are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"You're looking at the new editor of the Blue and Gold." Betty admitted, growing tired of his old antics.

Jughead tilted his head at her. "Still want to be a writer, Betts?"

The nickname made her want to smile. Almost.

"Your turn." She reminded him. "Why are you here so late?"

He shrugged again. "I guess Weatherbee isn't a big fan of cigarettes on campus."

Betty's eyes narrowed. "Really. Jughead? Smoking?"

He arched an eye brow in her direction, but there was no playful expression on his face. "What are you, my mother?"

"You know what?" She threw her hands upward in surrender, unsure of why she was scolding him in the first place. "Never mind. Do whatever you want."

"I already do." Jughead smirked at her. "But thanks for your permission, Betts, I really appreciate it."

His sarcasm hurt in a way it never had before.

"Whatever." She said again, reaching for the last article the previous Blue and Gold editor had written. She had been re-reading it for inspiration. "I have to get back to work."

She didn't look up to see if he'd left, her eyes already scanning the page.

"How's your head?"

Betty threw the article back down onto her desk, her eyes boring into his own. "You _were_ there."

"I never said I wasn't." Jughead replied simply.

"Archie thinks I'm insane." She told him.

"No offense, Cooper, but I don't really give a shit about what Archie thinks. That's what happens when you stop being friends with someone."

She wasn't sure if the anger in his words was aimed at just Archie, or the both of them, but it stung just the same.

A moment of awkward silence passed between them.

"Are you okay?" He muttered.

Betty nodded, her pony tail swinging as her head bobbed up and down. "It's just a concussion and some stitches."

"Betts, the right side of your face looks like you were mauled by a bear."

"Thanks a lot."

He let his shoulders drop. "When have I not been honest with you?"

 _When you wouldn't say who you were supposedly protecting me from?_ She thought.

"What happened?" She demanded instead.

Jughead shot her a strange look. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"You found me?"

"Yeah."

"Where?" Betty questioned.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "In the woods, I couldn't give you exact coordinates, Betty, it was pretty dark."

"Why were you there?" She inquired.

"Why were _you?"_ Jughead challenged. "All of you, I mean, you, Kev, Archie, Veronica, everyone."

"How did you..." Betty began, shaking her head. "Never mind."

She was done interrogating him, at least for the moment, but as she reached for the article, Jughead caught hold of her wrist, halting her.

"Why were you there, Betty?"

Betty wanted nothing more than to yank her arm back and throw him out of the Blue and Gold office, though the tone of voice he'd used had her automatically ready to give him the answers he wanted. Why he wanted them was only known to himself.

"We were camping."

"Why would you-"

"It was for Jason." Betty admitted, ducking her head to avoid his intense gaze.

Jughead seemed surprised. "You went camping in the same place your friend was found murdered?"

Betty winced, and out of habit, Jughead unconsciously squeezed her arm. When he realized what he had done, he let go of her all together, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

Suddenly, the only thing she could see was Jason's dead body, a gun shot to the head, just like the papers had said.

"Betty?"

Tears didn't burn her eyes, she still hadn't cried over the great loss she had apparently suffered, but the familiar feeling of numbness began to seep through her body.

"Shit, Betty." Jughead mumbled. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

She shook her head, trying to push the image of Jason away. "Why were you there?"

"I'm always there." He told her, for once not playing a million and one guessing games. "It's technically on the Southside."

There it was, another reminder of just how different their lives had become.

Another awkward-filled silence fell between them.

"You really scared me, you know."

Betty finally dared to look at him. She had always been able to tell when he was lying, and he was being one hundred percent honest.

 _Come on, Cooper._ He had said. _Wake up._

 _Open your eyes.  
_

 _Talk to me._

Another memory hit her. Hard.

It was that girl he hung around with, Toni, Betty thought her name was, it had been her voice, and Jughead's laughter that had first pulled her from the brink of unconsciousness.

 _Is it another body?_

 _Another_ body?"

"Jughead?"

"Yeah?"

"What was Toni talking about?" Betty asked.

Jughead raised an eye brow. "What are _you_ talking about, Cooper?"

"When you found me." She said, reaching up to pick at the bandage. It itched like crazy. "Your friend, Toni, she said something about a body?"

He caught hold of her hand before she could peel away the gauze and nearly pass out again, a faraway look crossing his face.

She knew he was about to lie to her.

"A body?" Jughead echoed warily. "Um... I don't remember her saying anything about a body."

"Jughead-"

"You were out of it, Betty." He snapped, his grip on her hand tightening. "You hit your head in some mysterious incident, you lost a lot of-"

"I fell."

He stared at her. "You sure about that?"

Betty's eyes narrowed. "Why would you ask me that?"

"Never mind."

"No, Juggie." She tried to pull away from him, and he let her. "Why did you ask me that? Do you know something I don't?"

Jughead scoffed.

"Jug-"

"Betty." He pronounced carefully, and she could sense how angry he was. "Just drop it."

But she couldn't. Not yet.

Oh no, she was just getting started.

"Why did you leave me, Juggie?"

Jughead stared down at her. "What?"

"Archie said I was alone when he found me." Betty said. Her cheek tingled as she recalled the pattern he had traced across it with his finger. "Where did you go?"

"I saw your friends coming, and I knew you would be safe with them." He responded, his tone strangely strained. "I wasn't far away though."

It was Betty's turn to raise an eye brow. "You were watching us?"

Jughead rolled his eyes. "It wasn't like _that_ , Cooper, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Her heart soared for a moment.

Jughead slid off the desk, picking his bag up from off the ground.

"I've gotta go." He said, starting towards the door. "Look, Betty, do you think you can do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Don't change the bandage until you get home." Jughead told her. "Because I won't be here to save you if you try that again."

For a second, but only a second, she forgot herself. She forgot about Cheryl and Reggie, and Chuck and the rest of them, she forgot about being a Vixen, she even forgot about the Blue and Gold. For a second, she and Jughead were still part of the same world, they were still best friends, playing games of tag in the park after school, proofreading one another's papers before they turned them in, and catching a classic movie every Saturday night at the Bijou.

She stuck her tongue out him, the most childish move she could muster, and Jughead smirked back at her, no smugness behind the expression.

But all too soon, reality came crashing down around them, and he turned to leave.

"Jug." She called.

"Yeah?" He answered, not looking at her.

"Thank you." Betty muttered.

He nodded, just barely, and walked out of the Blue and Gold without another word.


	13. Chapter 13

_"What?"_ She demanded, when she finally answered.

"Took you long enough." He glanced over his shoulder.

It wouldn't have surprised him to find Betty trailing along behind him, notebook in hand. Just like Nancy Drew, she was always unpredictable when it came to sleuthing. In the seventh grade, she had started going undercover for their junior high paper and he had often tagged along on those outings just to ensure nothing happened to her.

"For the record, Jug, five phone calls is more than enough." Toni warned. "What the hell do you want?"

"She remembers!" Jughead blurted out, smacking his hand against the cool metal lockers in frustration.

The line went silent for a moment.

"Toni?"

"Jughead, what the hell are you babbling about?" Toni asked.

"She remembers."

"Who?"

"Betty."

"Oh."

"Oh?" He restated, his irritation, anger and the secret fear he would never let anyone else see getting the better of him. "That's all you have to say? _Oh?"_

Toni sighed, clearly just annoyed. "Walk me through it one more time."

"Would you pay attention?"

"Would you quit freaking out?" She retorted. "Why are you freaking out?"

 _"Because."_ Jughead hissed. "She _remembers_ , and that is the last thing any of us need right now."

"Who remembers?"

 _"Betty."_

"Oh."

 _"Toni..."_

"What exactly does she remember, Jughead?" Toni questioned.

"She remembers _you_ talking about a body in the woods behind Sweet Water River. Why the hell would you bring that up?"

"Don't you dare blame this on me. We don't even know if she heard us."

"Then why did she just ask me about it?"

Now, Toni sounded amused. "You talked to her? Where?"

"In the Blue and Gold office."

"Why were you there?"

"I stopped her from..." Jughead trailed off quickly. "Why is this relevant?"

"I thought you were going to stay away from her." Toni teased.

"Sidelines." He corrected. He couldn't imagine ever staying away from Betty Cooper, even after everything they had been through. "I said I was going to stay on the sidelines."

"Because you can't stay away from her?"

"Toni, can we please focus here?"

"I'm just trying to understand." She told him. "Jug, you do realize that to her, you're the enemy, right?"

"A Serpent is always the enemy of a Northsider." Jughead agreed.

"But is the Northsider always the enemy of a Serpent?" She challenged.

"Not Betty."

"No?"

"No."

"Why?" Toni asked, and he didn't think he had ever had such a deep talk with her.

"I don't know." Jughead confessed.

He really didn't.

Shouldn't Betty Cooper have been in the same category as Archie Andrews in the life of Jughead Jones? Someone he thought about, not often, but enough? Someone he had both good and bad memories with, and for that reason alone, he could never truly _hate_ that person?

Probably, but she wasn't.

No, Betty Cooper was something else entirely.

She had tried.

Freshman year, she _had_ tried to keep the three of them together. She had sat with Jughead during lunch when it was permitted, she had called him, they had texted back and forth during the nights neither one of them could sleep, which had been often, but as her schedule had gotten busier, with the River Vixen's, joining the Blue and Gold, the only freshman journalist, Jughead had been so proud of her, her time for him had become less and less, until any free moments she _did_ have were spent exclusively with the people she now called her friends.

"You care about her." Toni said.

"Always." Jughead admitted.

"So, what does she remember?"

He smacked his forehead in frustration. How could he have gotten so distracted?

"Damn it, Toni."

She laughed. "I just wanted the confirmation that I was right. So, what's the matter?"

"Betty remembers you talking about a _body_ in the woods behind Sweet Water River." He grumbled. "She called you out by name."

"Oh."

 _"Please_ stop saying _oh."_

"Well, what do you want me to say, Jug?" Toni demanded. "So, she heard me say something about a body. Big deal. She was so out of it. She had no idea what was going on."

He took a moment to process her words. In a way, she was right, she was usually right, and that had reminded him so much of Betty when he and Toni became friends. Betty _had_ been out of it, calling him _Juggie_ like they were still fourteen, telling him that she thought Kevin was good enough to be a Dolly Parton impersonator.

He was praying that the concussion was enough to keep certain memories at bay for a little while longer.

"You don't know Betty." Jughead argued.

Toni snorted. "And you do?"

"Better than she thinks I do."

"What are _you_ thinking?"

"That I wish I was a better liar." He said.

She stopped laughing. "Damn it, Jug."

"Now do you see the problem?"

"I do." Toni replied evenly. "What do you want to do about it? Do you want us to take care of her?"

 _"Toni."_

"Kidding." She offered. "You say you know this chick, right? How well do you really know her, Jug?"

"Well enough to know that if she doesn't get the answers she wants soon, she'll go all Nancy Drew on me."

Toni paused.

"Is she going to be a problem?"

"No." He answered, but he wasn't sure if he was being truthful. Betty Cooper was nothing if not determined.

"Jughead, no one can know about-"

"Don't you think I don't know that?" Jughead shot back. "Shit, Toni, we made a promise."

"Always united." Toni recited.

"I'll handle it." He promised.

"What if she doesn't believe you?"

"Then I'll handle that too." Jughead declared, adjusting the weight of his backpack against his shoulder. "But no one is going to touch her. If they do, they'll deal with me."

"You know, some people don't like you looking after a Northsider."

Jughead scoffed. "Screw them. You protect the people you lo-"

He could practically hear the grin in her voice.

"The people you _what?"_

"The people you _care_ about." He corrected, carefully emphasizing his second choice of words.

"Jug?"

"What?"

"What are you going to do when this girl goes away to college?" Toni questioned, still sounding amused.

Jughead turned the corner, passing the main office, where he had spent several minutes after being caught by Principal Weatherbee at lunch. Close by was the music room, a place he had never dared to enter due to his tone deafness. He had tried playing the clarinet in the fifth-grade band, though he had given it up quickly at Archie and Betty's insistence.

Normally, he wouldn't have given the classroom a second though, but a flash of familiar red had him backtracking, glaring through the blinds.

"Jug?"

"Hope she carries pepper spray." Jughead replied distractedly. "Toni, I have to go."

He hung up, shoving the phone back into his pocket.


	14. Chapter 14

"Archie." She whispered, her lips only inches away from his own. "I'm putting myself in your hands."

He squeezed his eyes shut.

This was wrong, he knew it, and somewhere deep down, she probably did too, but that was the thing about temptation, and desire. When something was forbidden, you only wanted it more.

"Miss. Grundy..." Archie began, leaning closer, if that was even possible.

Just as they were about to kiss, footsteps rushed past the closed door. He pulled away from her as if she were on fire, determination quickly filling him.

"What's wrong?" Miss. Grundy demanded.

"Someone saw us." He whispered, afraid to speak too loudly.

Her eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

Without a reply, Archie grabbed his bag and ran out of the room. He wouldn't let the Peeping Tom get away, not when Miss. Grundy's, not to mention his own, reputation was on the line.

"Archie!" She called after him.

He ignored her, turning the corner, but the hallway was clear of any potential creepers. Archie raked a hand through his hair in confusion. Where could they have possibly gone?

He spun on his heel, ready to retrace his steps.

Instead, he bumped into the all too familiar girl next door, sending her possessions scattering across the recently polished tile.

"Archie!" Betty snapped.

"Sorry." Archie muttered, dropping to his knees. He began to gather the mess of papers, pens and lip gloss when something caught his eye.

Betty noticed too.

"Arch..." She began, reaching for the container.

He beat her to it, snatching it from the floor and carefully rising, holding it well out of her reach.

"Betty."

"Archie." Betty said again.

Archie regarded her coldly. "I thought you stopped."

"I did."

"Bullshit, Betty." He challenged, shaking his head. "You wouldn't have this if you were telling the truth."

Betty dropped her gaze. "My mom has been refilling the prescription."

Archie mentally cursed himself for not being able to tell if she was lying or not. Jughead had always been able to call her out on it, and he had, often.

Betty Cooper knew how to keep a straight face, and yet, Jughead saw through her perfected mask, breaking down her walls, coaxing her to tell the whole truth and nothing but.

"Betty."

"She gave it to me this morning." She admitted. "She doesn't trust me anymore."

"What have you been doing with the pills?" He demanded.

"Flushing them." Betty replied.

She was looking him in the eye now, a good sign that she was being one-hundred percent truthful.

Archie sighed. "Do you promise-"

"Arch." She held up a hand to cut him off. "I don't want to go through that again."

No one else knew, not even Veronica, who was just as close, if not more so at times, to the golden haired girl as Archie was.

Sometimes, he wondered if she would have still been taking them had he not found out and intervened at the beginning of the previous year.

She had been under pressure, he understood that. She was Betty Cooper, and everyone expected her to be perfect.

Even she strived to be, but as she took on the commitment of being a River Vixen under the harsh and grueling rule of resident 'It Girl' Cheryl Blossom, the difficult task of being the best writer the Blue and Gold had ever had, everyone had thought so, as well as scoring the lead role in Kevin's latest musical, followed closely by the unexpected separation, and later divorce of her parents, she had begun to slip, and no one, even himself, at least not at first, had seemed to notice.

It started with weight loss, not that she had needed to drop any, Betty had always been a twig. Suddenly, her clothes barely fit, and she had had to get a new Vixen uniform for a few months until she gained five pounds. She had stopped eating three times a day, often skipping breakfast and dinner. She had nearly fallen from the top of the pyramid after becoming dizzy during the halftime routine.

And then, she had stopped sleeping.

The dark circles under her eyes seemed permanent, and no amount of makeup, both Cheryl and Veronica had tried, had been able to hide them. It was only after he found her passed out in a booth at Pop's did he realize that something was truly wrong.

So, he'd carried her home, he was still thankful Alice had been at some weekend retreat for female writers, waited until she woke up, nearly two hours later, and then, he had written her a new one, screaming, yelling, demanding, pleading, until tears streamed down her cheeks, and she agreed to give him the pills she had left.

Archie had flushed them, and that had been the end of it.

They had barely spoken of it afterwards.

Now, he was wondering if he should have talked to her about it more, if he should have listened instead of confronting her.

"What are you doing here so late?" Betty asked, her voice snapping him back to reality.

"I... Um..." Archie blinked. "I had to talk to Miss. Grundy... You weren't outside the music room a few minutes ago, were you?"

"No." She answered, without hesitation, and this time he knew she was telling him the truth. "I was in the Blue and Gold office until about thirty seconds ago. Why?"

He shook his head. "Never mind. Um... Can I give you a ride home?"

"If it's not out of your way." Betty teased.

Archie laughed a little too loudly, his hand pressing into her shoulder as he led her towards the parking lot.

"I hope all this practice with Miss. Grundy is paying off." Betty told him, dropping down into the passenger seat. "I feel like you're always practicing, Arch."

"Yeah..." Archie replied. "I know, and I'm sorry, Betty... I just..."

His phone buzzed twice, a most welcome distraction.

Betty pulled her hair from its usual ponytail, her curls framing her face.

"Who's that?" She asked with a laugh. "Your girlfriend?"

Archie stared down at the screen for a moment.

"No." He muttered. "My dad. He wants takeout. Do you mind if we stop by Pop's?"

"Only if you're buying."

He didn't answer with some teasing remark like he usually did, too engrossed in the second message.

 _Please._ It read. _Protect us both.  
_

 _Don't tell anyone._


	15. Chapter 15

He was lying in wait.

God, he knew it was stupid to be there, especially after everything they had been through, Archie had sided with Chuck, _Chuck_ Clayton of all people, when he knew exactly what the scumbag was capable of, but he _was_ there, he had been for nearly an hour, sitting on the front step of his former best friend's residence, freezing his ass off, waiting to confront him, though on _what_ , exactly, he had no idea.

Jughead was beginning to wonder if the reason he had come at all was because his desire to protect didn't just extend to a certain girl next door.

Archie seemed surprised to find him as he walked towards the house. Vegas, the Andrew's ancient golden retriever, barked somewhere in the backyard.

"Jug." He greeted cautiously, tightening his grip on the bag of food in his hand. "What's up?"

"What's up?" Jughead repeated, rolling his eyes at the casual salute he probably gave ever one of his acquaintance, and they were more than that, or at least, they used to be. "What's up is that I saw you, Archie, in the music room, with Ms. _Grundy."_

"Keep your voice down." Archie warned, taking a step towards him. "My dad's inside."

Jughead scoffed. "I'm trying to help you, dude, I'm trying to be your friend here, even though we're not anymore."

Archie refused to meet his gaze, an unreadable expression crossing his face.

"How long?" He demanded, crossing his arms. "You and Grundy?"

"Since the summer." He admitted, sounding completely and utterly defeated. "I like her, Jug."

"I'm sure your friends approve."

"No one else knows."

"Shocker." Jughead replied, letting out a bitter chuckle.

"What are you doing here?" Archie asked. "Really."

"I want to know why you're getting it on with a cougar."

"Don't call her that." He hissed, his free hand balling up into a fist. "It's not like that... She cares about me."

"Right." Jughead shot back. "Sure. What is she, Arch, like thirty? Thirty-five?"

"Twenty-seven, and-"

"Great, so she's only... Ten years older than you. _That's_ not creepy at all."

"What the hell do you know about it, Jughead?" Archie challenged. "Or about me, even?"

A cool mask of indifference covered the hurt he felt at Archie's statement.

"Nothing." He said, holding his hands up in surrender. "But I used to know this guy once. Archie Andrews. He wasn't perfect but... He always tried to do the right thing, at least."

Jughead turned to go, unsure of why he had come in the first place.

Archie didn't need protection.

Archie didn't need anything, not from him, anyway.

"Jug."

Archie caught hold of his arm, halting him.

"If you tell anyone about this..." He began.

Jughead raised an eye brow.

"What?" He questioned. "What are you gonna do?"

Archie didn't answer.

"Do you really think I hate you _that_ much?"

The football player's shoulders dropped in a shrug. "I don't know, man, I didn't even know that you hated me."

"I _don't."_ Jughead told him, and it was the truth, whether he chose to believe it or not. "But if getting you to hate _me_ is what it's going to take for you to do the right thing..."

He cast a long glance at the Cooper household. As if on cue, Betty switched her desk lamp on, signaling that she was either about to start her homework, or work on the article he'd distracted her from earlier.

"I bet Betty would like to hear about your summer fling with a teacher." Jughead taunted. "Maybe she would even write an article about it. You'd be front page news, _Archiekins."_

Archie scowled at the use of his nickname. "Stay the hell away from Betty, Jughead."

He smirked at the thought. "And why would I do that?"

"Because she's been through enough." He countered. "The last thing she needs is you interfering in her life."

"You can't shield her from everything."

"Isn't that exactly what you're trying to do?"

Jughead frowned. "I wanted to tell her-"

"Jughead-"

"Maybe I _should_ tell her." He threatened. "Maybe I should tell her everything."

Archie's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare."

"She has a right to know, Archie!"

Of course she did.

It was her life.

He _had_ wanted to tell her, two years ago, but he hadn't. because of Archie's insistence that Betty had woken up with no memory of the previous night's events.

If she was starting to remember, if those horrid recollections were beginning to reemerge, breaking through her subconscious, knocking down the walls she had built to protect herself, it wouldn't be good for anything.

The last thing he ever wanted to do was traumatize her further, though if it meant that she finally had the answers he knew she was secretly searching for, then he would do it. He would have done anything for her.

"She doesn't _remember!"_ He insisted, glancing at Betty's window. Somehow, despite there no longer being any attempts to lower their voices, their conversation had yet to be overheard, even by the twenty-first century's Nancy Drew. "I've asked her a hundred times. Nothing happened."

Jughead shook his head, his raven locks falling into his eyes.

He pushed the hair away in annoyance.

"You don't know that, Archie." Jughead argued.

"She doesn't remember."

"Then why did she tell me differently?"

That caused him to meet Jughead's gaze. "What? When?"

"When I found her." He admitted. He didn't need to specify any further. "She kept telling me that she didn't want it. What do you _think_ that means, Arch?"

"You were there." Archie mumbled, echoing Betty's words from earlier in the Blue and Gold office. "Why the hell did you leave her in the middle of the woods. Jug? On the _Southside?"_

"The Southside is my home." He defended. "I saw you, okay? I saw you looking for her, and I knew if I didn't leave her for you to find, your friends would think that I was the one who hurt her."

"Did you?"

Jughead's lip curled in disgust. "I would never hurt her."

He crossed his arms. "Then don't tell her."

"Why are you so against her knowing what happened?"

"Because." He said. "The last thing I need is another Betty Cooper downward spiral."

Jughead stared at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means." Archie clarified. "That you have _no_ idea what has been going on in her life, Jughead, I mean, her parents split up last year, and then there was the whole thing with the..."

He trailed off quickly.

"What?" Jughead demanded. "The whole thing with the _what_ , Arch?"

Archie almost looked pained, like he had betrayed some sort of big secret.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me."

"Look." Archie grumbled. "She stopped, alright? It's not a problem anymore."

A knowing look crossed his face.

"Adderall?" Jughead hissed. "She's been taking Adderall? What the hell, Archie?"

"It's not my fault!"

It was his turn for his hand to curl up into a fist.

"You know what happens when she takes that shit."

"Betty is fine." Archie insisted.

"You _think_ she's fine."

"Jughead-"

"You've never been able to tell when she's lying." Jughead argued. He was the only one that could break her mask of indifference, and they both knew it.

"Betty wouldn't lie to me." He declared. "Not about this."

"She would if she's having withdrawals."

Archie shook his head. "She's fine."

"Keep telling yourself that." Jughead mumbled, starting to walk back towards his motorcycle. "Maybe someday, you'll be right, Arch."

"Jug."

He didn't slow his pace.

"What are you gonna do, Jughead?" Archie called after him.

"I don't know." He admitted.

But he was going to do something.

* * *

She hadn't meant to lie to Archie, she really hadn't, but he would never understand.

With a shaking hand, she pulled one of the pills from the little pink container she always kept them in, reaching for the glass of water she'd brought back up from the kitchen.

Betty faced her mirror, but dropped her gaze as she swallowed the first pill, and then the second, too disgusted to see her own reflection.


	16. Chapter 16

"B." Veronica whispered, catching hold of her arm. She pulled her several feet away from the rest of their teammates.

"What is it, V?" Betty asked tiredly.

She was exhausted, and she looked it. Cheryl had been yelling at her the entire two and a half hours, telling her to _perk up_ , _or else._

"I really need to talk." She admitted, pulling the blue and gold bow she always wore during practice, she swore it was lucky, from her hair. "Do you think we could go to Pop's, just you and me?"

Betty shot her best friend a sympathetic look. She was sure the impending conversation would have to do with Reggie; things were somehow even more strained between the pair.

"Of course, V." She squeezed the raven haired girl's hand. "I'll wait for you outside, okay? Take your time."

Veronica actually let out a sigh of relief. "I love you, B."

"I love you too, V."

Offering her one last encouraging grin, she pressed her shoulder into the wood of the locker room door, pushing it open. As she made her way down the hall, she allowed her curls to fall free from her own pony tail, running her fingers through her blonde tresses.

She scanned the parking lot, searching for Archie's car and she was grateful when she saw that he had already left for the night. Had he seen her and Veronica leaving together, he would have offered them a ride home, and when he found out they were going to Pop's, he would have tried to join them without invitation, and there would have been no time for one of their famous talks.

The last thing Archie wanted to hear about was Veronica's boy troubles.

The moment Betty stepped outside, she was grabbed.

Her back connected with something hard, and muscular.

An arm went around her neck, and then her mouth was covered, muffling her startled cry for help. Remembering all the lessons Cheryl had taught her over the years, she prepared to defend herself.

A hand caught hold of her opposite arm, fingers locking around her wrist, effectively stopping her from delivering a blow to her attacker's lower region.

"Shit, Betty." Jughead said, sounding irritated. "It's _me."_

He let go of her suddenly, allowing her to spin around to face him.

"Damn it, Jug!" Betty hissed, pushing against his chest. "What the hell are you trying to do? Kidnap me?"

He didn't answer, meeting her annoyed gaze with a hard one of his own.

"Give me your bag." He commanded.

Betty's grip tightened instinctively on the strap of her knapsack. It had fallen to her elbow during their struggle. "Are you robbing people now, Jug?"

"Just give it." Jughead demanded, his voice completely monotone.

Her eyes narrowed. "No."

"Fine." He replied. "Toni?"

Jughead caught hold of her again, his hand curling around her upper arm as he tore the bag away from her. He held it for only a moment before tossing it to his friend, Toni, who had seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"There's a pocket on the inside to the right." He told her, and Betty realized that she had been carrying the same backpack since junior high. Of course he would remember. "It should be right there. Unless you changed your hiding place, Betts?"

A knowing look crossed her face.

"Jug-" She began, but he shook his head.

"Seriously Cooper?" He squeezed her arm for emphasis. "Why the hell would you take Adderall? You _know_ what it does to you."

"I need it." Betty admitted in defeat.

"No, Betts, you _want_ it." Jughead corrected. "There's a big difference."

"It's-"

"Your mother has been trying to shove medication for a problem you don't have down your throat since we were eight." He reminded her. "I'm not going to stand by and watch you take that stuff, Betty, no way."

Carefully, Toni extracted the pink container, exactly where Jughead had said it would be, and threw it towards them. He caught it effortlessly, still holding onto her.

"This won't help you in the long run." He shoved the pills into the pocket of his Serpent jacket.

"Give them back."

"No."

"Juggie."

 _"No_ , Betts."

"Forsythe..."

He almost looked amused. "When has using my real name ever worked on me, Elizabeth?"

"Jug!" Betty whined, tears burning her eyes. She refused to let them spill. She never cried in front of anyone. Not anymore.

"Sorry, Betts." He didn't sound sorry. "But I'm not Archie. Tears won't work on me."

Her free hand curled into a fist.

Finding nothing else, Toni closed the knapsack and handed it to him too, not giving Betty a second glance.

"See you later." She said, and he nodded.

The second they were alone, she made a grab for his jacket.

Jughead let out a dark chuckle, easily holding her in place. His grip was tight, though he was careful not to hurt her. He would never hurt her, not on purpose.

"This is for your own good, Cooper."

And just like when he had told her and Archie that pterodactyl started with a silent _P_ instead of a _T_ , just like when he convinced her to read _Anna Karenina_ a second time to truly grasp the book's message, she'd had to read it three times, just like when he told Archie that climbing the rotting tree in his back yard was a bad idea, he had spent the rest of the summer with his arm in a cast, Jughead Jones was right again.

But she couldn't let him be right. Not this time.

"Why do you care?" Betty demanded. "I should be the least of your worries, Jughead."

He raised an eye brow. "Is that really what you think?"

"You shouldn't care about me." She told him.

"Betty-"

"What I mean, is..." She couldn't stop the words as they slipped out. "It's not your job anymore, not after the way you disappeared from my life."

Betty took a deep breath, too angry to feel guilty.

"I don't need a _Serpent_ to protect me."

She had finally done it. She finally sounded like Cheryl, and Reggie, and Chuck, and the rest of the people she had hung around with for the last few years.

She had finally ceased being the version of herself that had called Jughead her best friend.

A pained look crossed his face for only a moment before a cool mask of indifference, a look she knew well, for she had worn it many times in the last seventeen years, took over.

"That's a great revision of history, Betts." Jughead mused. "What a writer you'll be someday."

Betty stared at the ground.

How could she have said that to him?

Here he was, trying to help her, admitting that he still cared about her, and god, did she care about him, but instead of being grateful for his attempts, as unorthodox as they could be, and accepting the moment of solidarity he had offered her, a moment where they were still friends, and he would rid her of the demons sent after her by her own mother, she had let all her anger, all the hurt that had slowly been brewing over the last three years, get the better of her.

She had called him out for being exactly who he was, a member of the Southside Serpents, a fact she wasn't sure she would ever truly be okay with, but it was none of her business.

"Give them back, Jughead."

He avoided looking at her.

"I'm not going to let you destroy yourself, Cooper."

Betty opened her mouth to reply. "Juggie-"

"What the hell?" A new, and very familiar voice demanded. "What's going on here? Are you okay, B?"

Carefully, Betty pulled herself from his grasp, turning to face her best friend.

"It's fine, V." She promised. Jughead passed her the knapsack. "Come on, let's go."

Veronica opened her mouth to protest.

"Veronica." Betty snapped, catching hold of her hand. "Come on."

Her nails dug into the palm of her free hand, nearly drawing blood.

"B." Veronica hissed, when they were well out of earshot. "What the hell was that? Are you okay? Did that... _Serpent_ hurt you?"

God, that word stung, and now, she couldn't imagine how it must have felt when the same term had slipped from her lips.

"No." Betty said, a little too quickly.

She didn't look convinced. "Betty..."

"I said no, Veronica." She snapped, wrenching her hand free. "You know what? I don't really feel like going to Pop's right now... I'm sorry, V... I'll see you later."

She waited until she was completely alone to let the first tear fall.


	17. Chapter 17

His parents often worked late

It was the shared loneliness they had first bonded over, and just as she suspected, the only car currently parked in the driveway was his gleaming truck, a birthday present for his Sweet Sixteen.

She had helped his father pick it out.

Because he was the only one home, she felt safe retrieving the key from underneath the tacky frog figurine on his front porch, it had always been hidden there, to let herself in.

Music was blasting behind his closed bedroom door. She barged in without knocking.

Reggie was shirtless, a weight in his hand that he nearly dropped when he caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.

His expression hardened, and he let the weight fall onto his unmade bed before he finally turned to face her.

"What are you doing here, Ronnie?" Reggie demanded.

Veronica allowed her eyes to roam over his naked chest, though she quickly brought her gaze back up to meet his own when he smirked, reminding herself that she had gone to him for a reason.

"If you're here for a booty call, then I'm sorry, babe, but that is off the table."

He held a smugness that she had never seen before, and it suddenly made her resent him a little, it made her remember that as much as she cared for him, they could never be the couple she had always wanted them to be, it reminded her of why she had broken up with him in the first place.

"Never mind." Veronica muttered.

"Ronnie." Reggie caught hold of her wrist, his tone softening. "Wait, I'm sorry. Please stay."

When she didn't object to him touching her, he pulled her closer, sliding a familiar arm across her shoulders, his hand making hesitant circles across her back.

The contact was comforting, enough so to make her doubt that she was wrong about their relationship being doomed.

"What's up?" He asked.

"I need your help." She admitted.

Reggie glanced down at her. "Anything."

Veronica hesitated, and his grip tightened instinctively.

Betty had said it was nothing, and as much as she wanted to believe her B, she had seen the look on Betty's face, she had seen the way that Serpent, Jughead, her friend's former friend, had held onto Betty's arm, tight and steady, like he had no intention of letting her go. Betty was terrified of him, and if there was one thing Veronica Lodge would not stand for, it was someone messing with her girl.

"Ronnie?

"It's Betty." She admitted, after a moment.


	18. Chapter 18

"So." Toni said, surveying him carefully. "You've been awfully quiet today."

"Have I?" Jughead retorted, not looking up from his weathered copy of _The Sun Also Rises._

"Yes."

"Oh."

"Jughead, don't say _oh_." _  
_

He raised an eye brow, almost amused. "Now do you see how annoying it is?"

"What happened after I left you with your little Northside Princess?" She demanded, ignoring his comment.

"Betty." He corrected, out of habit.

Toni rolled her eyes. "What happened after I left you with Betty?"

"Nothing."

"You're a terrible liar."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

 _"Oh."_

"Jughead!" Toni smacked him a grin on her face.

He chuckled in response.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Toni, of course he did, he trusted that girl with his life, but the last thing he needed was an instant replay of his last conversation with the girl next door.

Her revision was good, perhaps even entertaining to some, but far, so far, from the truth.

How could she possibly believe, even for a second, that that was truly what happened?

He hadn't vanished from her life.

If anything, she had been yanked from his.

But Betty Cooper had always thought what she wanted, and once she made up her mind, it was hard to convince her otherwise.

They didn't need to rehash the past, not anymore. Betty would stay the determined cheerleader, the popular girl with a circle of friends she could never completely trust, and Jughead would remain a Serpent, hated by the golden haired girl's pose, hated by all Northsiders, but still protecting a certain one, even if it meant that she saw him as the bad guy, the gang member, the boy who was headed for nothing but trouble.

"Hey!" A voice barked. "Jarhead!"

Speaking of trouble.

Reggie entered the lounge, a place Jughead often found the more popular members of Riverdale's senior class hanging out, Chuck and Moose flanking him.

"Reggie." Jughead greeted evenly.

Toni's eyes narrowed.

"We heard you had a little problem with one of our girls the other day." Reggie announced, crossing his arms.

He gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more than to bash the football player's face in for placing any kind of claim on Betty.

"I don't really see how that's any of your business, Reggie."

"It became my business the second you decided to put your hands on her." He hissed.

Jughead suddenly realized that it must have been Veronica Lodge, Betty's apparent best friend, he didn't know if she was dating Reggie or not, he didn't care, who tipped him off.

Yes, he had held Betty in place, his hand curling around her arm, but he had been careful not to hurt her. He would never hurt her. He'd just been trying to protect her, to save her from herself.

"She's not your friend anymore, Jones." Chuck said with a smirk. "She wants nothing to do with you."

Moose didn't comment.

He hated that Chuck was pretending to defend Betty. He had no right.

Jughead finally put his book down. "Why don't you let Betty make her own decisions for once?"

"Who do you think we're here for?" Reggie asked, his expression mimicking that of Chuck's.

Jughead felt a moment of doubt.

As angry as she had been, and she had been angry, Betty wouldn't have sent her friends, or Chuck, after him... Right?

It had to have been Veronica.

And yet, he suddenly founding himself if he knew Betty Cooper at all anymore.

Toni started to stand, whether to finish what the football players had started, or to go round up any fellow Serpent's she could find, but Jughead extended his arm in front of her, halting her.

He didn't need his gang to back him up this time.

No.

This was his fight.

"Look, Reggie-" Jughead began.

A fish connecting with his left eye cut him off.

He doubled over in pain, pressing his hands to his face.

"Stay the hell away from her." Reggie warned. "Or next time, I won't be so nice."

The sounds of high fives enraged him even more. He waited until Reggie's back was turned to enact his revenge.

Jughead tacked the boy he had known since kindergarten, sending them both tumbling forward. He straddled Reggie's waist, throwing his arm back for a revenge shot, and then another.

Fingers locked around his wrist, stopping him. The grip was too strong to be Toni's.

"Jug!" Archie snapped, yanking him up. "What the hell is going on here? Reggie?"

Chuck and Moose pulled the raven haired boy to his feet. When Reggie started toward him again, Archie immediately planted himself in between the two, his back to Jughead.

"What the hell is going on?" He repeated.

"There you are, Andrews." Reggie said, wiping the blood from his lip. "Sorry you didn't get to join the party."

Archie raised an eye brow, glancing at Jughead. "What party?"

"You didn't hear?" He sounded surprised. "I thought you and Betty told each other everything."

"Betty?" His expression hardened knowingly. "What about Betty?"

"Seems like Donnie Darko and your BFF had a little confrontation outside the school yesterday."

"What the hell, Jug?" Archie demanded. "I told you to stay away from her!"

Chuck stared at him. "What? When?"

"It..." He shook his head. "That's not important. What did you say to Betty, Jughead? She's been avoiding me all day."

Despite the pain in his eye, he smirked. "That's your problem, Arch, not mine."

"What did you say to her?"

Jughead shrugged. "Nothing she didn't already know."

"Jug-"

"Relax, Archie." He replied. "I took care of it."

"Took care of _what?"_ Moose asked, speaking for the first time,

"Nothing." They said together.

Reggie glowered. "You keeping secrets from us, Andrews? Secrets that only the Prince of the Serpents knows?"

"Jug." Toni muttered.

He ignored her.

"Who's side are you on?" Chuck questioned, his eyes zeroing in on Archie's Varsity jacket, the same ones they were all wearing.

"Yours." Archie replied automatically, though Jughead thought he still knew him well enough to sense a little hesitation in his tone.

"Then start acting like it." Reggie told him, his shoulder knocking into Archie's as he stalked out of the room, Chuck and Moose obediently following him.

"Jug." Toni said again, a little more sternly this time. "Maybe we should-"

"Hang on." Archie held up a hand to cut her off. "What the hell is wrong with you, Jughead? What part of _stay away_ did you not get?"

"The part where you would willingly let Betty take _drugs."_ Jughead announced.

"I wasn't... She didn't..." He let out a sigh of frustration. "She wasn't taking them, Jug."

He shook his head. "You still believe that?"

"Yes."

"You shouldn't."

"Jug-"

"She hasn't been sleeping, Archie."

"She has a concussion, Jughead."

"A concussion that's almost completely healed." Jughead argued. "And even with her concussion, she would still be getting a few hours, at least. She's wired, Arch, that's exactly what Adderall does to a person."

"Keep your voice down." Archie warned. "Do you want the entire school to know?"

"If that's what it takes to get her to stop."

"She's _not_ taking them." He insisted. "I swear, Jug, if you go near her one more time, I'll..."

Jughead waited.

Archie said nothing.

"What?" He asked. "What, exactly, are you gonna do?"

And then, without waiting for an answer, he glanced at Toni, nodding for her to follow him. As they moved down the hallway, someone knocked into him, nearly spinning him in the other direction.

Betty stared at him for a moment, her face frozen in some unreadable expression, but when she saw his eye, he could already feel it starting to swell, she gasped.

"Juggie." She began, her palm brushing across his cheek. "Oh my god."

He wanted to revel in her touch, in her concern, but it was not his place to.

Jughead caught hold of her wrist, pulling it away from his face and placing it gently back at her side before he let her go.

"Come on." He said to Toni, not sparing the girl next door a second glance.


	19. Chapter 19

He was prepared for anger, he knew how to deal with an angry Betty Cooper, but he was not equipped to deal with the rage currently pouring out of her as she stormed into the lounge, steam practically coming out of her ears.

"Was that your handiwork?" She demanded, her loud tone a clear indicator that she did not care who heard them.

"No!" Archie promised, holding his hands up in surrender. "Of course not. How could you even ask me that?"

"How could you tell Jughead about..." Betty trailed off quickly.

"I didn't." He insisted. "Well... Not exactly."

"Not exactly?" She echoed. "What, _exactly_ , did you tell him, Archie?"

Archie sighed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

How could he have betrayed her like that?

"I started to mention it." He admitted, after a moment. "Jug just kind of put two and two together."

Betty's eyes narrowed. "It was none of his business."

It surprised him that she didn't ask _why_ he had been talking to their shared former friend in the first place, but ultimately, he was grateful.

Maybe they were all still entitled to a few secrets.

"I know."

"It was none of your business either." She hissed.

"Betty-"

"Who did it?"

"Reggie." Archie answered honestly, and without any guilt. "He said that Jughead confronted you yesterday? Why didn't you say anything?"

"How would Reggie have known?" Betty wondered aloud, ignoring his question.

Then, her eyes narrowed.

"Veronica." She said, her hands balling up into fists. "Of course."

She turned to leave, but Archie caught her arm, spinning her back around.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Betty avoided his gaze. "I don't have to tell you everything."

"I'm your best friend!"

"Are you?"

"Betty, c'mon." Archie sighed, loosening his grip on her. "I'm sorry. I screwed up."

"Yeah." She agreed, letting out a bitter laugh. "You sure did."

"Betty-"

Betty took an abrupt step away from him, causing his hands to drop back down to his sides. He surveyed her, taking instant notice of the still covered mark against her forehead. Her hair was pulled back into its usually pony tail, though it was not as neat, a few strands falling into her face, and the circles under her eyes seemed darker, if that was even possible.

"Betty." He pronounced carefully. "When's the last time you slept?"

Her lips formed a thin line. "Why do you care?"

"Betty."

"A few days ago, maybe?" Betty retorted, letting her shoulders drop in an uninterested shrug. "Why does it matter?"

"You're a wreck." Archie told her, and he knew he would pay for that comment later, when she was no longer angry with him.

"Excuse me?"

"Jughead was right." He acknowledged, almost reluctantly. "You're wired."

"Juggie doesn't know a thing about me." She grumbled.

"Sometimes I wonder if he knows you better than I do." Archie raked a hand through his hair. "I thought you stopped."

"I did." Betty insisted.

"You're lying."

"You can finally tell the difference?" She shot back.

Archie frowned. "I've been trying to help you, Betty."

"You want to help me, Arch?" Betty demanded. She took another step away from him, snatching a book from the worn arm chair that had been donated to the school way before any of them were born.

"Yes." He said.

"Then stay away from me." She hissed, spinning on her heel.

She stalked out of the room, and for the second time that day, Archie Andrews was left feeling like a complete and total failure as a friend.


	20. Chapter 20

The next logical place to go after her confrontation with Archie was to find Veronica.

She was at her locker, phone pressed to her ear, but when she caught sight of Betty, she told the person on the other end of the line that she would call them back.

"B..." She began.

"Why did you send Reggie and the guys after Jughead?"

Veronica seemed surprised by her outburst. "Because he accosted you."

"What?" Betty demanded.

"B, it's okay." She promised. "Reggie took care of everything! You don't have to be afraid of that... Of that _Serpent_ anymore."

"Veronica." Betty pronounced carefully. "Why would you do that?"

"I was trying to protect you." Veronica replied cautiously. "We all were."

She shook her head, rage filling her all over again. "I don't need protection."

"Betty-"

"Jughead didn't _hurt_ me." She hissed. "He was trying to _help_ me."

Jughead had been trying to _help_ her.

The guilt from the day before came rushing back, hitting her all at once. He had just been trying to help her, to save her from herself, and the thanks he had gotten was a piece of history rehashed when it should have been buried and forgiven long ago.

How could she possibly apologize to him for her words?

Veronica shot her a suspicious look. "With _what_ , exactly, B?"

Betty didn't answer.

"B?"

"I have to go." She muttered, spinning on her heel.

Veronica caught hold of her hand. "Betty!"

"Let go of me, V." Betty pleaded.

"Betty-"

With surprising strength, she yanked her arm free, tightening her old on the worn book in her hand.

 _The Sun Also Rises._ His favorite.

Without a second glance in her best friend's direction, Betty stormed off, for the first time in three years not confiding in the V to her B.


	21. Chapter 21

Betty wasn't surprised to find the house empty.

It was just her and her mother now, her father somewhere in New York, he barely called, and with Chic in California, and Polly in San Francisco, she had gotten used to the quiet a long time ago. Alice often worked late, allowing Betty to come and go as she pleased.

A hastily written note taped to the refrigerator informed her that her dinner was in the oven if she got hungry, and thatAlice had yet again taken it upon herself to refill Betty's Adderall prescription.

 _Stay focused, Elizabeth._ She had added at the bottom. _Love, mom._

Betty rolled her eyes and crumpled the paper into a ball, tossing it into the nearest trash can.

She reached for the new carrying case, she had several, she wasn't sure why, and took it upstairs with her, her intentions not to let the day's events distract her from her newest, still to be determined article.

Then, it hit her.

 _Jason._

She could write an article about Jason, a way to honor him, and maybe, it would soften Cheryl's undoubtable rage since she had skipped practice in favor of wandering around the Northside, where she belonged, at least according to her friends.

She had wanted, _needed_ to be alone, even if it was just for a little while.

Betty dropped down onto her desk chair, threw open her laptop, opened a new Word document, and stared at the screen, willing the words to come to her.

They didn't.

Instead, her eye lids grew heavy, and several times, she caught herself beginning to nod off.

She couldn't fall asleep! Not now! Not when the deadline she had given herself was only two days away.

Betty remembered the container of pills still curled in her fist.

She popped the top open, slipping the orange-ish capsule into the palm of her hand, and without hesitation, she threw the drug into her mouth, reaching for the glass of water she hadn't drank the night before.

Instead, her fingers brushed across the cover of his book.

 _I'm not going to let you destroy yourself.  
_

Tears filled her eyes, and she quickly spit the pill onto the floor.

* * *

The bell jingled overhead, signaling to the nearest waiter that a new customer had arrived, but he didn't look up from his laptop to see who it was.

The closing of Southside High had also meant the end of their annual school newspaper, the Red and Black, but his writing hadn't stopped simply because there was no one to read his articles anymore. He had toyed around with writing a novel, the town of Riverdale was full of secrets just waiting to be exposed, and the recent death of Jason Blossom would have made the perfect murder mystery, but Jason himself was still fresh on everyone's minds, and the last thing he ever wanted to do was upset those closest to him, even if they weren't so close anymore.

 _Our story is about a town, a small town, and the people who live in the town._ He typed. _From a distance, it presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world..._

 _Safe..._

 _Decent...  
_

 _Innocent..._

 _Get closer, though, and you start seeing the shadows underneath._

 _The name of our town is Riverdale, and our story begins, I guess, with what hometown hero Jason Blossom did this summer._

"Juggie." A familiar voice whispered. He quickly closed the laptop. "Can I sit?"

Jughead glanced up to find none other than Betty Cooper standing beside his usual table.

She was a mess, the circles under her eyes even darker, her hair had almost completely fallen from its pony tail, she hadn't seemed to notice, and despite the very early September chill, she wasn't wearing a coat.

He nodded numbly, unsure of what to say. Betty slid into the booth across from him. He hadn't been expecting anyone, but especially not her, and definitely not in her current state.

"I thought you might be here."

"Oh yeah?"

It was a fair statement, he practically lived at Pop's, it was his place.

It had once been _their_ place.

"If I didn't find you here, I was going to try Sunnyside."

His gaze hardened.

"Stay away from the Southside, Betty." He warned.

Her face fell further, if that was even possible.

"Why were you looking for me?" Jughead demanded.

She placed something on the table top, pushing it towards him.

"I found it in the lounge." She said.

Jughead examined the cover and shot her a grateful look. In his haste to get away, he hadn't realized he'd left it behind.

"Do you remember when you gave this to me?" He asked, the hesitancy clear in his tone.

Betty nodded. "My dad spent an hour trying to convince me that the last thing a thirteen-year-old boy wanted for Christmas was a book, let alone _The Sun Also Rises._ I told him that he didn't know you like I did."

The ghost of a smile appeared on his face.

"It was my favorite present that year." He told her. "I'm sorry about your parents, Betty."

If she was surprised to find that he knew about the divorce, she didn't show it, her eyes glued to the salt and pepper shakers by the window.

What could he possibly say to make her feel better?

"My mom took off." Jughead admitted, after a moment. "Sophomore year. She got sick of my dad's drinking, and of the Serpents, so she packed up everything she owned, and left."

Betty squeezed her eyes shut.

"I don't miss her, though." He said, and that was the truth. "I just wish she wouldn't have taken Jellybean too."

God how he missed his sister, the adorable twelve-year-old kid who laughed at dumb jokes and listened to Pink Floyd on vinyl. She was going by JB now, getting straight A's in school, and despite being separated from her father and brother, she seemed genuinely happy.

He heard a sniffle, and glanced up in alarm to find that her cheeks were wet.

"Betty-"

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

Her words seemed to go beyond their confrontation the day before.

A few moments of awkward, and yet somehow also peaceful, comfortable silence fell upon the pair, reminding him of old times, when it was just the two of them. They had never needed to talk without Archie out.

Jughead took a sip of his milkshake, strawberry, his favorite, for something to do. He wondered if she was going to order something, he wondered if he should order something for her, he wondered if she still loved vanilla milkshakes. He wondered if he still knew anything about her.

Her phone began to vibrate loudly. Betty turned it over, glanced down at the caller ID, and threw the device back down again.

"Avoiding someone?" He questioned.

"Avoiding everyone." She confirmed, her tone even.

"Archie?"

"And Veronica."

"It's none of my business." He began, and Betty shifted uncomfortably. "But deep down, Betts, they meant well."

 _And so did I_. He added, as a mental afterthought. He hadn't wanted to startle her, or upset her, but he _was_ a Serpent, and sometimes, Serpents could be a little abrupt, a little unorthodox.

"Maybe." Betty agreed. She surveyed him. "Oh Juggie, your eye."

Jughead held up a hand before she could touch him, letting his shoulders drop in a shrug. "I've had worse."

"Jughead-"

"Never mind, Betty."

The less she knew, the better.

It was safer for him not to get close to her again, for him to cut all ties, for him to pretend that she didn't exist, but the selfish side of him couldn't bring himself to do that. He needed Betty, even if it was from afar, an acquaintanceship if that's what it came down to.

He wouldn't leave her, not when she still needed him, whether she wanted to admit that or not.

The bell jingled again.

"Oh my god!" A familiar enough voice called. Hurried footsteps rushed towards their table. "B! There you are!"

Archie was at the raven haired girl's side seconds later, his blue eyes brooding with concern.

Betty shot her friends a wary look.

"Betty." Archie muttered, a little breathless. "We've been looking everywhere for you."

"You weren't at practice." Veronica pointed out.

Jughead stared at her in exasperation. Was that really all she cared about?

"Are you okay?" Veronica demanded.

Betty glanced at Jughead. "I'm fine."

"B." Her fingers locked around the golden haired girl's wrist. "We should talk."

"Honestly, V." She shook her head. "Talking is the last thing I wanna do right now."

Archie opened his mouth to protect.

Jughead stared at him, his eyes holding a warning powerful enough to make his former friend think twice about speaking.

"Can we at least give you a ride home?" He asked instead.

She took a moment to consider the offer.

Part of him wanted her to decline their request.

"Okay." Betty said, standing up. She looked at Jughead again. "Let's go."

This was the only time Betty Cooper ever disappointed him, when she sacrificed what she wanted to make those around her happy. Something told him that she wanted to stay with him as much as he wanted her to remain there too.

"It's cold out." Archie slung his Varsity jacket across her shoulders. "Here."

She slipped her arms through the sleeves, nonchalance dripping from her tone. "Thanks."

Veronica locked a protective arm around her, beginning to lead her towards Pop's only exit.

"Wait." He heard her say.

She whispered something to the two, but only Archie nodded, taking hold of Veronica's arm to pull her outside with him.  
Betty returned to the table.

She dropped something onto his ancient book, a familiar pink plastic container that matched the now empty one still stashed in his backpack.

"Betty-"

"There's only one missing." She told him. "But I didn't take it. I swear."

Jughead gazed up at her, covering her hand with his own. "I know you didn't. Betts."

There was no hesitation. She wasn't lying to him.

"Can you hold onto this for me?" Betty asked. "I'm scared that if I have it, I'll take them again, and I don't want to Juggie, I really don't want to... I just... I need someone I can trust, because I don't trust myself right now."

He squeezed her hand harder than he had meant to, his touch somehow calming her.

"I'll take care of it, Betts." He promised simply.

She offered him a watery smile, and then she was gone, going back to the types of people she belonged with. Jughead allowed himself to smile.

She still trusted him, just as he trusted her.


	22. Chapter 22

_Jason Blossom was not just a football player, the captain of the water polo team, a cherished member of the Riverdale Bull Dogs.  
_

 _No.  
_

 _He was so much more than that; a son, a grandson, a brother, a friend.  
_

 _I think many of us, maybe the entire town, had been hoping against hope that somehow, Jason isn't really gone, that we'll come to school Monday morning, and there Jason will be, quiet and courteous as always, or that we would see him in his favorite booth at Pop's, with a chocolate milkshake and a large plate of fries that he never let his friends steal.  
_

 _Not all those who are gone have to be forgotten. As time continues to pass, it is my hope that while we all begin to heal, we also carry a part of Jason Blossom with us. Always._

"What do you think?" She asked nervously.

Cheryl scanned the last sentence.

She had been colder than usual that morning, and Betty knew she was still in the doghouse for skipping practice, even though it had almost been a week.

"B." She said finally, allowing a smile to grace her lips. "It's _amazing."_

The River Vixen's following them, Veronica included, murmured in agreement. They had been passing the paper around as they moved about, too bored to stay at their usual table and listen to the boy's talk about the upcoming game.

"It's really good, B." Veronica echoed.

Things were still strained between the two, just as things were still awkward between her and Archie. She had every right to be mad, at Veronica for conspiring a rampage at Jughead without asking Betty what had really happened, and at Archie for not protecting the person he had once called his best friend.

It didn't help that Archie had been the one to tell Jughead about her problem with Adderall.

They were both trying to make it up to her in their own ways; Veronica had surprised her with _hers and hers_ mani-pedi's, while Archie had shown up at her front door to walk her to school every morning, but she had barely spoken to him.

"Oh my god." Cheryl muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing. "They're _everywhere."_

She was referring to the Serpents, who had chosen to eat their lunch outside, taking up three picnic tables in total.

Jughead was in the center, his head bent over yet another book. Betty strained to read the title, and much to her secret amusement, he was reading James Baldwin's _Go Tell It On The Mountain._ She had given him that one too.

His friend, the girl with the pink hair, Toni, was goofing around with another female gang member. She took a running head start, for reasons only known to herself, and perfectly landed the double back hand spring Cheryl hadn't been able to master until the previous year.

Betty's posse watched in amazement.

"That's how it's done!" She heard Toni announce, high-fiving her friend.

"Well, _well."_ Cheryl drew out, calling attention to herself. She was good at that. "Maybe some of you ragamuffins aren't completely hopeless after all."

Toni started forward in anger, not that Cheryl was intimidated.

"Toni." Jughead warned, finally glancing up.

He had some sort of power over his friends, over the younger members of the Serpents, anyway, and Betty didn't know why she suddenly felt intrigued.

This was a side of him she never seen before.

She almost... Sort of...

 _Liked_ it.

Betty shifted uncomfortably, and his gaze fell in her direction. He arched a brow in questioning, but Betty turned her attention back to Cheryl, not trusting herself to look at him again.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced." Cheryl stuck a hand out. "Cheryl Blossom, Riverdale's resident It Girl."

Veronica rolled her eyes.

Toni stared at her, her expression unreadable. She made no moves to accept Cheryl's rare act of kindness,

"Yeah." She said. "I know."

"Of course you do." She tossed her hair, and Betty elbowed her for being so self-centered. "B! Please, don't interrupt."

"Cheryl." Veronica adjusted the weight of her purse against her shoulder. "Maybe we should just-"

Cheryl shot her an annoyed look. "Scatter, my Vixen's."

Betty was more than happy to leave, she was due in the front office soon anyway, her mother having enough to place a call to excusing her for the rest of the afternoon, but too busy to take her daughter to the doctor herself.

Cheryl's fingers locked around her wrist, halting her when she tried to follow the rest of her teammates.

Though no one had asked, Veronica stayed put too.

"You know I didn't mean _you."_ The red head teased, squeezing her arm.

Was this some sort of test? Some kind of setup, to see how she would react to being in the presence of her former best friend, and current confidante, not that anyone else knew.

Jughead's jaw tightened.

 _So much for not looking at him._ She thought.

"What do you want?" Toni demanded.

"Easy, Cha Cha." Cheryl smiled sweetly. "I just wanted to compliment you on your killer moves."

She didn't seem convinced, and Betty didn't blame her. She had been friends with Cheryl for almost four years, and sometimes, she still found herself wondering if the River Vixen captain was actually being sincere.

"Have you ever thought about cheerleading?" She asked. "Because you would make a _great_ Vixen."

Toni looked shocked. "Well... I..."

Sweet Pea, the voice was recognizable, the boy whose bandana Betty had accidently ruined the night of the accident, splattering and staining it with her blood, snorted.

"Topaz?" He laughed. "A cheerleader? Yeah. Right."

Betty was sure she saw the girl's face fall.

"Sweet Pea." Jughead warned.

"Don't listen to him." Cheryl snapped. Now, Betty knew she was truly trying to be honest, maybe even kind. "You could totally be a cheerleader. Right, girls?"

"Of course." Betty answered honestly. "Your backhand spring would make our halftime performance a thousand times."

Jughead glanced at her.

"Sure." Veronica agreed.

Cheryl shot her an expression Betty couldn't quite read.

"We still have fifteen minutes of lunch left." Cheryl announced, releasing her hold on Betty's arm. "Why don't you show me what else you've got."

She held her hand out again.

After a moment, Toni took hold of her hand, their fingers lacing together.

"Coming, B?" She questioned.

"I can't." Betty replied, hugging her books to her chest. "I'm getting my stitches out today."

Cheryl grinned. "God, it's about time! You don't think you'll have a scar, do you, B? if you do, then we'll really have to find something to do with your hair to hide it... Of course, there's always makeup..."

"What Cheryl _means_ is." Veronica held up a hand to cut her off. "That's great, B, do you want me to go with you?"

"No."

Her smile faded.

Guilt flooded through her.

She was still angry, very angry, and though they still had a lot to talk about, they needed to talk, Veronica was her friend, her best friend, and the last thing Betty wanted to do was hurt her feelings.

Just like always, Jughead Jones was right. Despite her rash decision to go to Reggie, in her own way, Veronica _had_ been looking out for her.

"That's okay, V." Betty promised, offering her a genuine smile. "It's going to be a quick visit... Do you wanna go to Pop's later?"

Veronica visibly relaxed. "Betty, I would love that."

She squeezed her hand as she passed by, a silent guarantee that things would be okay between the two of them.

* * *

Betty moved down the hallway, past the music room towards the front office to receive the permission she needed to leave.

A familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Miss Grundy." He whispered. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this a secret."

"Archie." She replied, her tone even. "You have to. It's the only way there can be an _us."_

Her eyes widened, and carefully, she peeked through the half closed blinds, really, they should have been more cautious, just in time to see her red headed best friend lean in to kiss his music teacher.


	23. Chapter 23

"Well..." Kevin began, scrutinizing her from across the table. "It looks..."

"It looks _fine_ , B." Veronica promised, shooting him a sharp look. Ever the protective one. "You can barely tell."

Betty shrugged numbly.

There was a scar forming against her temple, not monumental, but noticeable nonetheless. Even wearing her hair down couldn't hide it.

Kevin gave her arm an apologetic squeeze, turning his attention back to Veronica.

"So." He said. "You and Reggie."

They were sitting side by side, Betty across from them, zoning in and out of the impending conversation, her mind somewhere else entirely.

"Me and Reggie." Veronica echoed warily.

"Tell me _everything,_ babe."

Betty took a sip of her milkshake, still pretending to listen. A hint of guilt hit her; though the drama between Riverdale's former power couple was nothing new, as her best friend, Veronica deserved her undivided attention.

"He told me that he _loves_ me." She admitted, shaking her head.

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh, Ronnie..."

 _I don't know much longer I can keep this a secret.  
_

 _It's the only way there can be an us.  
_

Archie, and...

 _Miss. Grundy?_

Who... What... Where... When...

And most importantly, _how?_

"Betty."

After catching sight of her best friend lip locked with the music teacher, she had practically rushed to the office, careful to keep silent footsteps. The last thing she needed was for Archie to discover that she was now in on his deep dark secret, at least until she decided what she was going to do with the information.

"Betty?"

How could Archie have been so stupid?

Getting involved with a _teacher?_ What the hell was he thinking?

"Betty!" Kevin called for a third time, his voice snapping her back to reality.

Veronica looked concerned. "Everything okay, B?"

Before she could answer, she was going to lie, and say that everything was fine, the bell above the door jingled.

Kevin raised an eye brow. "Now _that's_ an odd combo of people."

Betty whipped her head around to find none other than Fred Andrews and Archie, followed closely by Miss. Grundy.

Her blood boiled.

"I'll be right back." She said, not waiting for a response.

She stood up, crossing the diner.

"Hey Betty." Mr. Andrews greeted.

Betty forced a smile. "Hi, Mr. Andrews, Ms. Grundy. Archie, can I talk to you?"

Archie looked surprised. "Um, sure. I'll call you later?"

She had already caught hold of his sleeve.

"Actually." She began to pull him from the booth. "Now. Just school stuff. Outside?"

His father nodded, giving them the okay.

Betty pulled him along behind her with a strength she wasn't aware she had. Out of courtesy to his family, not to the cougar, she waited until they were outside to confront him.

"Archie." Betty pronounced carefully. "As your best friend, is there anything you want to tell me?"

A confused expression crossed his face. "No... I don't think so."

He was even a worse liar than she was.

He was avoiding eye contact with her, choosing to focus his gaze at the window of Pop's, where Kevin and Veronica hadn't bothered to hide that they were watching the scene unfold.

"You sure?"

"Betty." He sighed. "What's going on?"

How could he stand there and play dumb?

Did he really think he could hide it forever?

"You and Ms. Grundy, Arch? Really?"

* * *

"You and Ms. _Grundy?"_

He stared at her in shock.

He had known that when Betty had pulled him away from the table, they wouldn't be discussing anything having to do with school. He'd hoped that maybe, he could apologize again, erasing any awkwardness still left between them.

Because he _was_ sorry, _so_ sorry, even if she had gotten the help she needed, however Jughead had helped her, she looked like she was finally sleeping again, it killed him to think that he had betrayed her when the only thing he wanted to do was protect her.

There was no chance of clearing the air now, at least, not for a very long time.

"A teacher, Archie?" Betty demanded. _"Seriously?"_

"Betty-" Archie began, but she threw up a hand to cut him off.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Did Jughead tell you?" He shot back.

Surprise etched across her features, masking the anger for only a moment.

 _"Jughead_ knows about this?"

As if on cue, a motorcycle's engine roared as the bike pulled into the parking lot, several more following along behind it.

Betty started towards them.

"Betty!" Archie snapped, fingers encircling her wrist, yanking her back.

"Ouch, Archie!"

A Serpent caught sight of his actions, throwing his helmet down as he began to charge forward.

Jughead, tossing off his own helmet, called the guy's name, halting him in his tracks.

He exchanged a few words with his gang, and then, they were entering Pop's without him.

"Archie." He called, warning dripping from his tone.

It was Archie's turn to move, involuntarily dragging Betty along behind him. She mumbled something, maybe she had asked him to let her go, but he was too angry, nearly seething, to truly hear what she was saying.

"Did you tell her?" He hissed.

Jughead's gaze narrowed at his grip on her wrist, it had almost become vice-like. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you _tell_ her?"

"Tell her..." He echoed. "Shit, Archie, no."

"Then how did she-"

"I _saw_ you!" Betty snarled, trying and failing to yank her arm free. "Jesus, Archie, let go of me!"

"What do you mean, you _saw_ me?" Archie made no moves to follow through with her demand. "When?"

"Today." She told him. "In the music room, when I was leaving to get my stitches out."

Jughead's eyes trailed to her forehead instinctively.

"Seriously, Arch, let _go_ of me!"

His hand fell away from her wrist, and in the dim light, he noticed an angry red mark encircling her pale skin. _He_ had done that to her.

"Betty-" Archie began.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Betty."

"Tell me!" She cried, shoving against his chest. She pushed him again. "Damn it, Archie, tell me!"

"Betty." Jughead pronounced carefully.

It was only when she forced him backwards a third time, and then a fourth and fifth, did he step in, slipping in between the pair, turning to face her.

"Stop!" Jughead ordered, his hands curling around her arms. "Betty, stop."

She didn't recoil at his touch, and Archie raised an eye brow in disbelief. He was a _Serpent_ ; how could she not be afraid of him?

Maybe because she knew, really, they both did, that deep down, behind the leather jacket and sarcastic quips, the Jughead Jones they had known and loved, the Jughead Jones that had been their shared best friend, was still in there somewhere.

"This isn't helping." He said.

"You knew?" Betty accused, wrenching herself free from him too. Archie grinned. "You knew? Why didn't you tell me?"

The familiar mask of indifference crossed his face.

"I'm sorry, Betts." But he didn't sound it. "I didn't know that we were in a place where we still told each other everything."

Archie's jaw tightened.

"Jug." He warned.

Betty's lips formed a thin line. "Archie-"

"Betty." Jughead blocked her path, almost like he knew her better, like he knew that she might slap Archie next. "Stop it."

"Why are you taking his side?"

"I'm _not."_

Archie wanted to defend himself, but he knew he had no right to.

It started after a long day of labor back in June, he'd been heading home on foot, his car needed repairs, and his father, having decided to stay later, needed the truck to get home.

Ms. Grundy had been kind enough to offer him a ride.

He would never forget the way she looked, her summer clothes, a far cry from the baggy skirt and blouse she usually wore, her hair hanging long and loose, those heart shaped sunglasses, a popsicle in her left hand. They had kissed seconds later, her lips sticky and sweet against his own.

 _They couldn't tell anyone_ , she had said, and he'd wholeheartedly agreed, though it nearly killed him to keep such a secret from those closest to him, Betty most of all.

They were best friends; they were supposed to tell each other everything.

It killed him to know that there were still so many things he couldn't tell her.

"I have to go." Betty muttered suddenly.

Archie started after her, only to be stopped by Jughead's extending arm. "What? Betty, wait-"

She shook her head. "I can't... I don't know what to say to you right now, Archie, I really don't."

"Betty." He complained.

She spun on her heel.

"Betty!" Archie barked, losing all patience. "What are you going to do?"

Betty stared at him in disbelief. "Is that all you care about?"

"What are you going to _do?"_ Archie demanded again, because he knew her. Too well.

Shooting him a disgusted look, both he and Jughead watched her storm off, wrapping her arms protectively around her midsection, a clear indicator that she was upset.

Jughead clapped him on the back, a little too roughly.

"Nice going, Arch." He smirked. "You're not going to be happy until you completely drive her away, are you?"

Archie scowled in response.

Yes, his first instinct should have been to go after his best friend, to apologize profusely, and tell her the truth, all of it, but the only thing he could think about was the Nancy Drew side of Betty Cooper, and how it could potentially ruin _everything._


	24. Chapter 24

"Really." He promised, the sound of his voice causing her to whirl away from her own reflection. "It's not that noticeable."

Betty frowned. _"You_ noticed it."

"I was also there, Cooper." Jughead reminded her, stepping into the Blue and Gold office. He allowed his bag to fall to the floor.

She didn't respond.

He noted that she wasn't wearing her River Vixen practice uniform, the gold and white shirt, the white and yellow knee socks, and the black shorts that made her legs look even longer somehow.

Not that he had noticed, of course.

Instead, she was still dressed in typical Betty Cooper fashion, her hair pulled back from her face, a pink sweater and a blue skirt, two rings decorating the fingers on her left hand.

"Did you get detention again, Jug?" Betty questioned, picking up her notebook from the desk.

She tapped a pen against the page impatiently.

"What?" Jughead almost laughed. He wasn't stupid enough to get caught twice. "No."

"Why are you here so late?"

"You ask a lot of questions, Cooper."

"And you don't give a lot of answers." Betty shot back, her eyes narrowing.

She was referring to the conversation she'd zoned in and out of that night at Sweet Water River.

He shouldn't have been surprised to find that she had yet to let go of the little piece of information she was clinging to.

Betty Cooper was nothing if not determined.

And as much as that should have pissed him off, any other person, it would have, it didn't. He loved the Nancy Drew in her, the girl who wasn't afraid to go digging for answers.

This was just one mystery he wouldn't allow her to solve.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Cooper." Jughead grumbled.

She seemed shocked by his tone, and he smirked at her reaction. Initially, he hadn't wanted to scare her, but it was amusing just the same.

"Jug." She was almost begging. "What are you doing here?"

He sighed. "I wanted to see you?"

Betty raised an eye brow. "Why?"

"Last night was intense." Jughead let his shoulders drop in a shrug. "And Archie was being an ass. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Her expression became one of defeat, so unlike the vibrant Betty Cooper he had grown up with. He would have done anything to make sure she never looked like that again.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you." Betty whispered, after a moment.

Jughead raised an eye brow. "Betty-"

"You were right." She told him, cutting him off. "You were absolutely right, Jug. Last night had nothing to do with you. You don't have to tell me anything. Archie is my best friend, not yours."

He felt an unfamiliar pang at her words.

"Betty..."

"I'm sorry." She said again.

"Don't apologize to me." Jughead warned. "Don't ever apologize to me. I was going to tell you."

He had been planning on it, even if it meant further betraying Archie's trust, not that he had it anymore.

By the look on her face, she knew exactly what had distracted him.

"I haven't taken any." Betty promised, meeting his gaze. "I don't have any."

She wasn't lying.

"I know." He promised, wanting nothing more than to enclose his hand over hers again, to squeeze it in reassurance, but he made no moves to approach her. "Look, about what Archie said last night..."

She shook her head. "Let's not rehash it."

He knew her. Too well.

"You are going to do something, aren't you, Betts?"

Betty didn't seem angry by the accusation, though he doubted there was no one she was more upset with at the moment than Archie.

"Of course I am." She replied evenly.

"Betty-"

"I need your help."

"Betty." Jughead groaned, gripping his beanie. "Maybe you should just let this one go."

Betty raised an eye brow. "You're joking, right, Jughead?"

His lips formed a thin line. "No."

"And Archie thought you knew me better." She mused.

 _I **do**_ **.** He wanted to insist, but the words wouldn't come. **  
**

"You can't keep getting yourself into these dangerous situations." He argued instead.

Her amusement quickly turned to suspicion.

 _Damn it, Jones._ He scolded.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep his promise to Archie.

Eventually, she would remember, she had to.

 _Juggie._

"Juggie." Betty, echoing her voice in his head from nearly two years before snapped him back to reality. "I'm sorry you lost your left shoe, but I had to prove they were using expired ingredients."

Jughead stared at her for a moment trying to understand, what exactly she was talking about.

Then realization hit him hard.

After ten kids had been sent home in one day in eighth grade, Riverdale's own Nancy Drew had decided to prove that the ancient lunch ladies were to blame for the food poisoning. With Archie out sick, both he and Betty had brought their lunches, thank god, she had convinced him to go dumpster diving with her the moment the trash cans had been emptied into the large metal bin.

He could vividly remember giving her a boost, and climbing in after her. It had smelled awful, he'd almost puked, and by the time he had pulled her out again, his hands gripping her waist to keep her steady, they'd reeked. It had taken his beanie multiple washes for it not to smell like rotting eggs and sour milk anymore, but she had gotten the proof she needed, publishing a hard hitting article in the junior high version of the Blue and Gold, effectively getting the two women an early retirement.

"My _right_ shoe." Jughead corrected with a grin. "Damn it Betts, we're getting too old for this shit."

 _"We."_ He thought he heard her mutter.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

He knew she was lying.

"Betty-"

"I can't." Betty said, shaking her head. "I _won't_ , Jug, I won't let that... That _bitch_ ruin my best friend's life!"

He couldn't help the smirk that graced his lips, the smugness that was usually in place for his fellow Serpents gone, in its place the boy she had once known, the boy who proofread her English papers, who broke the _no girls allowed_ rule of his tree house just for her, who convinced her to read _Anna Karenina_ three times through, helping her navigate the tricky plotline chapter by chapter, the guy who had pulled her from, quite literally at times, bad situations.

The Serpents wanted him to be tough, almost ruthless in situations, and he was when need be, but every time he felt the part of himself that Betty had known, the part of himself she had once called her best friend, slipping away, he fought just a little harder for that part to stay, unwilling to lose one of the last connections he had to the girl next door.

Betty never cursed. Sure, she said _hell_ , or _damn it_ if that's what the situation called for, like the youngest members of the Serpents, fourteen and fifteen year olds who tried to act cool even though they were not allowed to hang out at the bar, or ride motorcycles.

Jughead was willing to bet everything he had that Betty Cooper, despite her friendships with the likes of Cheryl Blossom and Veronica Lodge, had never called anyone a _bitch_ in her entire life.

"Will you help me?"

 _"What?"_

He really had to stop spacing out around her.

"Will you help me?" Betty repeated, her eyes hopeful. "For old times sake?"

The offer was _so_ tempting, more enticing than she would probably ever know. And yet, he found himself shaking his head, a frown etching across his features.

"Jug." She almost whined.

"No way, Betts, not gonna happen."

"Juggie."

 _"No_ , Betty."

"Why not?" She demanded, crossing her arms.

"Because." He replied simply. "It's not my place."

"Jug-"

"We're not friends anymore, Betts." He reminded her, his eyes hardening. "I'm pretty sure Archie can take care of himself. You shouldn't get involved either."

Her determination hadn't waivered.

"...But you're going to."

"But I'm going to." Betty confirmed simultaneously. "I'm not going to sit back and watch him ruin his life. I can't, Juggie, so don't ask me to."

He would ask, beg, plead, order, not that it would do any good.

"I can't help you, Betts." He muttered.

But he could keep watch, just like he always had, just like he always would.

"Do you still care about him?" Betty asked.

Jughead stared at her in irritation, unable to answer her question. He would never be able to explain the jumbled mess of emotions he felt when it came to his former best friend, not even to Betty, the one person he had always told everything to.

Well, almost everything.

"Betty..."

She bit her bottom lip. "Do you still care about me?"

There was absolutely no hesitation.

"Yes."

"Then _help_ me." She begged, moving closer to him. "Please, Juggie, I don't think I can do this without you."

He should have said no, again, the word was on the tip of his tongue.

Instead, he caught her gaze, holding it tightly.

"Okay." He said.


	25. Chapter 25

"I need to talk to you." They said in unison.

Jughead smirked, motioning for her to go first. He hadn't been expecting to find her at Pop's, though he was glad she was there.

He wasn't going to follow Betty into the lion's den without backup. Not this time.

"What's up?" He questioned, gesturing to the space across from him.

Toni dropped down into the booth, looking too nervous to be the girl who bartended three nights a week at the Whyte Wyrm to support herself, and gave each newly initiated Serpent member their honorable tattoo.

"Um... Jug... Listen..."

"You want to join the River Vixen's." Jughead guessed, his tone even.

She nodded slowly. "Yeah... I just... Tell me not to do it, and I won't, I just... I need the opinion of someone I trust."

He offered her a grin. "I say do it."

Toni seemed surprised. "Really?"

"Sure." He replied easily. "Why not?"

"I just... I thought you would be against it." She admitted. "After, well, you know."

His eyes narrowed in understanding.

Cheerleading was _not_ to blame for the rift that had eventually drove himself and Betty apart. He liked seeing her in that blue and gold uniform, waving her pom poms in the air, a bow wrapped around her pony tail. If anything, it was the people she hung around with; he knew Kevin was harmless, maybe Moose was too, but Cheryl, in typical Queen Bee fashion, held a certain level of control over the entire group that Betty either couldn't, or wouldn't, break free from. Reggie ruled the school with a mixture of fear, intimidation, and superiority, Chuck, the prick, his right hand man, leaving the rest of them to follow along with every move he made.

They said jump, Betty asked how high.

He wanted nothing more than to save her from that world, but there was the problem. It wasn't his place to save her.

At least, not really.

Yes, he had made secret promises to look out for her, a vow, he had a _need_ to protect her, and yes, he had beat the shit out of Chuck, he had carried her the night of the accident, but they lived in completely different worlds.

Betty belonged to the Northside, Jughead to the South. Different friends, different places, different alliances.

She had enough defense from the Northside pricks and bitches she hung around with, and yet, his want, his _need_ to protect her, to save her had never waivered even with that knowledge.

She might not have been his to protect, but Jughead wasn't much for rules.

"Jug?"

"Huh?"

"You're really okay with this?"

"Sure." Jughead promised, shooting her a grin. "C'mon, Toni, you know I've got your back."

The girl visibly relaxed, pulling a hand through her long curls.

If she wanted to be a River Vixen, then more power to her.

Toni Topaz was one of the closest people to him, she had been since he transferred to Southside High, he only wanted her to be happy, and if being a cheerleader was going to accomplish that, then she had his full support, and he would defend her to the end, even against his own kind.

"It's a win-win." She offered.

He raised a brown in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well." Toni said. "I get to be a cheerleader, and now, you have someone on the inside, someone who can look after your girl when you're not around."

"She's not my-"

She grinned. "Jughead."

"It's not like that." Jughead defended warily.

"Sure."

"Toni-"

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

He sighed. "I need your help."

"No shit, Sherlock." Toni teased, tossing her hair, a classic Cheryl Blossom move. "What else is new?"

"It's for Betty." He told her.

"Again, what else is new?"

Jughead's lips formed a thin line. "Are you going to help me, or not?"

"Oh Jug." She giggled. "You know you never get anything done without me. I'm in."


	26. Chapter 26

Her anger towards Archie's refusal to confide in her, for his knowing accusations that she would take it upon herself to end the relationship, for caring more about Ms. Grundy than himself, than their friendship, had been the initial motivator for wanting to go after the music teacher, but as she slipped through her front door, making her way down the sidewalk, one continuous thought plagued her mind.

 _Archie could hate me for this._

It was his fault for getting involved with her in the first place, though the last thing she wanted to do was lose him for good.

She had already lost one best friend, she couldn't bear it if Archie disappeared from her life too.

She told Alice she would be studying with Veronica, not that her mother would have noticed her absence anyway. The woman often returned home later than 3:00 AM, living on an unhealthy diet of coffee and Modafinil, or sometimes, Betty suspected, Adderall.

Alice Cooper was nothing if not focused, on her work, that was, definitely not on her elder children, certainly not on her youngest daughter, who got away with pretty much anything she pleased. Betty longed for the day that she would pack her bags and kiss Riverdale goodbye for good. She could go to San Francisco, Polly had already offered her the room, or L.A., to stay with Chic, though his roommate was a little strange.

And then there was Veronica, who had begun to talk about New York, the flat they could rent, going to NYU or Columbia, all the amazing parties and shopping.

So many options, and yet, none of them the perfect escape.

Betty sighed, stuffing her hands further into the pockets of her tweed jacket. It was starting to get cold, leaves falling from the trees, crunching under the soles of her boots.

She was so preoccupied in her thoughts, she never even noticed the echoing footsteps creeping up behind her.

An arm locked around her waist, pulling her back against a muscular chest.

She started to yell for help, but a palm smacked over her lips before she could even get the first syllable out. he thrust her elbow towards their ribcage, nearly making contact with his hard stomach.

"Shit!" A familiar voice muttered. "Damn it, Betty, it's me."

His grip on her waist loosened enough for her to whirl around. As her eyes adjusted to the growing darkness, she caught sight of a pair of familiar blue irises staring back at her in irritation.

His hand fell away from her mouth.

"What the hell, Jug?" Betty demanded, raising her hand to strike him. "Stop doing that!"

Jughead caught her wrist easily, forcing her arm down to her side. She wiggled, but his grip didn't loosen.

"No." He replied, now looking amused. "It's too much fun."

"Jughead."

"Sorry, Betts."

He didn't sound sorry.

"Come on."

Still gripping her arm, he tugged her along behind him down the sidewalk. She wasn't sure why he had yet to let go of her, not that she minded, really. His touch was so familiar, comforting almost.

"You okay?" Jughead questioned, after a moment.

"Fine."

A look of disbelief crossed his face. "Betts-"

"I said I'm fine, Jug."

"Liar." Jughead challenged, his brows arching in suspicion.

Betty sighed.

How could he still know her so well?

"Archie could hate me for this." She admitted.

"Betty..."

"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this." Betty pulled her wrist back, halting them both.

"Hey." Jughead snapped, piercing her with a more intense gaze than she had ever seen. "You're not giving up now, Nancy Drew."

The authoritativeness in his tone sent a shiver down her spine.

"Juggie-"

"No." He argued, holding a hand out. "You're not giving up. Screw what Archie thinks, Betts, you're doing him a favor, and if he's really your friend, then eventually, he'll see that."

Betty stared back at him warily.

"You can't give up."

"Why not?" She demanded.

"Because that's not the Betty Cooper I know."

Her heart ached at his words.

He had no idea how much she longed for that girl too, the girl who defended others against her friends often cruel pranks and actions, the girl who would read and write to her heart's content instead of putting everything off until the last minute because there had been a game, or a party, that as one of the most popular girls in Riverdale High's senior class, she was almost expected to attend, the girl who didn't take Adderall to meet the deadlines she countlessly lost sleep over.

"She's in here somewhere." Betty promised, gesturing to herself.

He didn't break their eye contact.

"Prove it." He ordered.

His tone ignited something in her, and with a tentative smile, Betty took his outstretched hand, their fingers lacing together.

Jughead threw her a grin that had always been reserved for her and her alone.

"Come on." He said, tugging her along behind him.

They crossed the street, hands still intertwined, not looking out of place in the near pitch blackness.

"Jug." A familiar voice whispered.

Toni emerged from the shadows of the opposite direction, a camera strap looped around her neck.

Jughead's grip tightened instinctively.

Betty shot him a wary look but didn't question the girl's presence vocally. Jughead must have asked her to come along for a reason, they were close enough, it seemed. When they moved down the hallway, or when they sat in a booth at Pop's, he would toss an arm across her shoulders, leaving Betty to wonder if the two were _more_ than friends.

Not that it was her place to be jealous, or anything.

"Toni." Jughead greeted, his tone even.

The female Serpent flicked her gaze to their still conjoined hand, a look Betty couldn't quite place flashing in her eyes.

"Toni." He said again, his palm warm against her own. "This is Betty. Betty, Toni."

"Hi." Betty muttered shyly, unsure of what else she could say.

"Hey." Toni responded, sounding friendlier than Betty had imagined she would. "It's nice to meet you... Consciously, this time."

"Toni." Jughead warned, casting a glance to her forehead, the scar suddenly more visible.

"Sorry."

"It's fine." She promised, though the girl's voice still rang on a loop in her brain.

 _Is that another body?_

She hadn't abandoned her intention to find the truth in Toni's words, she was only momentarily distracted, trying to save her best friend from a scandal.

"We should go." Jughead said, nodding in the direction of the sidewalk.

Toni took the lead, the two following along behind her, still gripping one another's hands, unsure of why they had yet to let go.

They walked in silence, Betty stiffening every time a car drove by, or a dog barked somewhere in the background, causing Jughead to pull her a little closer, his grasp tightening a little more. Four blocks later, they arrived at Grundy's shack.

"Ready to go undercover, Nancy... Betty?"

Betty immediately pulled herself free, reaching into her purse as she started towards the woman's ancient car.

"Betty!" Jughead rasped, clutching her arm. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Getting answers." She replied.

She gripped the lock out tool she always kept on her, habitually in her purse from when her father still resided in Riverdale. Jughead raised an eye brow, Toni chuckled, her expression a mixture of amusement and amazement.

"You're actually breaking into Ms. Grundy's car." Jughead mused.

She ignored him, carefully setting to work, inserting the device into the driver's side window. With a flick of her wrist, the door swung open.

"Next you're going to tell me you know how to hotwire." He mumbled.

Betty slipped inside the old Beatle, shooting him a knowing look as she unlocked the passenger's door for him.

"Shit, Betts, seriously?" Jughead demanded. "Toni, keep watch."

He stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"What?" Betty questioned, suddenly growing nervous. He didn't break their eye contact. "Juggie, _what?"_

"What else don't I know about you?"


	27. Chapter 27

"Is your favorite color still green?"

Betty shot him a strange look, clearly just as perplexed by his sudden need for a game of twenty questions as Toni, who still stood outside, her eyes constantly scanning the streets.

"Yes."

"Do you still hate Valentine's Day?"

"Juggie..."

"Do you?"

"Yes." Betty admitted through gritted teeth. "It's a stupid Hallmark holiday."

Jughead smirked in response. "Favorite author?"

"Can we please focus here?"

"Fine." He mumbled, irritation dripping from his tone. Did he know her at all?

When had she learned how to break into cars?

When had she learned how to hotwire an engine?

As kids, Betty couldn't have cared less about the truck, jeep and motorcycle magazines he and Archie flipped through, her nose always buried in a Nancy Drew mystery novel. Now, she was the real deal, a twenty-first century female heroine, popular cheerleader, all around good girl by day, determined bad ass by night, breaking and entering without care.

If he had been intrigued by her before, and god he had been, he was completely absorbed now.

"What are we looking for, Lisbeth?" He questioned.

Betty arched an eye brow. "You read _The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?"_

"I thought you wanted to focus." Jughead challenged, his smirk growing.

"Have you always been this annoying?"

"Only when I'm around you, Cooper."

"Oh, so it's my fault?"

"Well..." He drew out.

"Jughead-"

"Okay, okay." He chuckled.

"Jughead." Toni called, capturing his attention, but only for a moment. "Her light just turned on. I'm gonna go check it out."

His grin disappeared.

"Be careful." He warned.

It wasn't that she couldn't handle herself, she could, she was a Serpent after all, but she was also his friend, the closest person to him on the Southside, and though she would swear she didn't need it, he wanted to protect her too.

She nodded in response, gripping the strap of her camera as she tiptoed across the street towards the small shack of a house.

Betty looked concerned, not that he was surprised. She wasn't like her friends, whether she wanted to believe that or not, she had compassion for everyone, not just her precious Northsiders.

"Is she going to be okay?" She asked anxiously.

"She can look out for herself." Jughead replied simply. "She'll be fine. Now tell me what we're looking for, Betts."

Betty stared up at the visor. "We're looking for anything that proves Grundy isn't as clean as she says she is."

He nodded, glancing around the small interior of the car to try and find anything that was out of place. There was a locked metal box stuff halfway under her seat.

 _Bingo._ He thought, making a grab for it. He passed it to her, watching in amazement as she pulled a black bobby pin from her hair, forcing it into the metal key hole. It clicked instantly.

"I learned that from the Nancy Drew detective handbook." She admitted.

Jughead met her gaze, holding it for a few moments as a grin slowly graced his lips. "Why am I not surprised?"

Betty reached into the box, extracting the first thing her hand came into contact with, a small piece of hard plastic.

A driver's license, bearing Ms. Grundy's photograph, but not her name.

"Oh my god." Betty hissed. " _Jennifer Gibson?_ Who the hell is Jennifer Gibson?"

He took the ID from her and studied it, feeling just as perplexed.

"Jug..." She whispered, her voice shaking.

He let the license fall to his jean clad knee, his eyes widening in worry as he turned to face her.

"Betts?" He demanded. "What is it? What's..."

He trailed off quickly as something gleamed in her hand.

A gun.

And she was pointing it directly at him.


	28. Chapter 28

He wasn't sure if he had ever moved so quickly in his life.

"Jesus, Betty!" He snapped, catching hold of her left wrist in a bruising grip as he pried her fingers from the barrel. "Shit! What the fuck are you trying to do, huh?"

She winced at his cussing, but he was too on edge to care. He threw the chamber open, happy to find it empty. Not trusting the golden haired girl currently sitting beside him, he quickly tucked the gun into the back of his jeans before he dared to cast another glance in her direction.

Betty had gone pale, like she had the first time he'd taken her to see a scary movie at the Drive In when they were twelve, her hands shaking, held upward, like she was still cradling the gun in her palm.

"Betty." Jughead muttered, careful not to startle her further. "Betty, hey. It's okay, Betts, you're safe."

She didn't even blink.

"Betty." He repeated, a little more sternly this time. "Shit, Cooper, everything's okay now, snap out of it, tell me what you're thinking."

He wished he could read her mind.

"Betty." He was getting annoyed, not that he meant to. She wasn't a stubborn Serpent who had yet to learn their place, but his childhood best friend, the girl he was still protecting even when they lived in completely different worlds. "Come on. Come back to me."

She finally let out a shaky breath, her arms falling to her side, tears filling her eyes.

The sight nearly killed him.

He wanted nothing more than to pick her up and carry her away, away from her controlling mother, away from the friends who dictated her every move, away from Riverdale even, where all her problems seemed to be.

"Betts." Jughead mumbled, catching hold of her trembling hands. He was glad Toni wasn't there to see his actions, she never would have let him live it down. "What is it? Talk to me."

"I..." She shook her head, her pony tail bouncing. "Jason."

"Jason?" He echoed. "What about Jason, Betts? Come on, you need to snap out of it. Keep talking to me."

"Jason..." Betty said again. "Jason was _shot."_

"Okay..." Jughead grew out, his grip tightening. She had lost him completely. "What does that have to do with-"

She let out a startled grasp, wrenching herself away from his grasp.

"Betty!" He growled. "Please, tell me what you're thinking."

"Jason." She restated.

"What _about_ Jason?"

"He..." Betty blinked, but her tears refused to fall. "He was taking lessons from Ms. Grundy... Piano lessons. He started playing last year."

Jughead caught hold of her hands for a second time, her palms clammy against his own. He knew exactly where she was going, but he couldn't let her jump to that conclusion. Not until they had more proof.

"Betts."

She refused to meet his gaze.

"Look at me, Nancy Drew." He ordered. Their eyes connected a moment later. "You can't go there, Betts."

"But Juggie-"

"You can't." He told her, carefully emphasizing the word. "Not yet."

"But Ms. Grundy-"

"Right now, the only thing Grundy is guilty of is seducing a minor." Jughead hissed. The thought of the music teacher preying on Archie angered him more than it probably should have. "Murder is a big jump, Betts."

She winced at the word _murder._

 _Great job, genius._ He scolded himself. _Jason was her friend._

His thumb made comforting circles across her knuckles.

"Juggie-"

Headlights flashing across the dashboard suddenly had him pushing hard on her shoulders, attempting to hide her from view. Her spine knocked against the steering wheel, and she whimpered. As a car door open and slammed shut again, Jughead nearly dove on top of her, his hand smacking over her glossy pink lips.

After a few moments, he sat up, glancing around the quiet streets. When he didn't see anyone, he pulled Betty up too, his hand falling away.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Betty didn't answer, her eyes glued to something over his shoulder.

"Betts?" Jughead raised an eye brow. "What's wrong?"

She raised a trembling hand to point.

"That's Chuck's car." She whispered.

His expression hardened, and the only thing he could do was pray that the golden haired girl had never been a passenger in the beat up old Honda, at least not by herself.

Betty threw the box back onto the floor, Jughead following her lead, tossing the ID, and the gun, in before slamming the lid shut, the click signaling that it had locked again.

And then, she was throwing the door open, starting towards the house.

"Betty!" He was still cautious enough to keep his voice low. "Shit, Betty, get back here!"

He shot out after her, fingers locking around her wrist in a vice grip, spinning her back around. She started to speak, but he pulled her close, his palm pressing over her mouth to keep her from uttering a word.

Half carrying, half dragging her, he yanked her back to the sidewalk, using Grundy's car as a shield as he forced her to her knees, her head resting against the rusted metal.

It was only when she stopped struggling did he allow his hand to fall away.

"Jug- _Mmmph!"  
_

He silenced her again.

"Keep your fucking voice down." Jughead hissed. "Damn it, Betty, are you trying to get Toni in trouble? She's still in the backyard."

The last thing he wanted was for her to think that he was trying protect Toni. He was, in a way, he guessed, he didn't want her to be compromised, especially when she was only there as a favor to him in the first place, but the only person who really, truly needed protection at that moment was Elizabeth Cooper, for Chuck Clayton, god how Jughead despised that name, was only feet away, and he would be damned if he'd let the prick get anywhere near her.

Something flashed in her eyes, and he knew she understood. Releasing her completely, he glanced around, trying to decide what to do.

"Wait here." He ordered.

Betty caught the sleeve of his Serpent's jacket. "Juggie..."

Jughead caught her eye.

"Be careful." Betty muttered. It was almost a plea.

He smirked in response, slowly reaching out to push a few strands of loose hair behind her ear.

He was always careful.

"I'll be right back." Jughead promised, heading in the direction Toni had gone.

It didn't take long to find her, her camera raised as she took photographs of something only she could see.

"Toni."

"Jug?" She asked, a little too loudly.

"What the hell was that?" He heard a familiar voice demand.

Without a second thought, he gripped the lapels of her own leather jacket, pulling her along behind him, escaping across the street just as the window facing the backyard flew open.

Jughead let her go as he neared the car, expecting to find Betty still crouched down on the other side, but the sidewalk was deserted.

"Fucking hell, Cooper." He yanked his beanie off, raking his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"What?" A voice questioned from behind him.

He had never been so relieved and so angry at the same time.

Clasping her by the arms in a bruising grip, he took a moment to examine her, just to prove to himself that no one else had laid a hand on her.

"Juggie..." Betty began, but he shook his head.

"Jug." Toni echoed. "Come on."

"Who's out there?" Chuck yelled.

Betty instantly froze at the sound of his voice.

"Come on, Betts." Jughead urged, interlacing their fingers. "We have to go."

And then, they were running, Jughead dragging her along behind him, not once slowing his pace. When she stumbled, his arm locked around her waist to support her.

They didn't stop until they were almost to Pop's. In the dim light, Jughead spared the girl next door a second glance, taking in her shallow breathing, and her pink cheeks.

He was too afraid to release his hold on her.

"What did you get?" He demanded.

A smug smile spread across her face.

"I don't think we'll have a problem getting rid of Ms. Cougar."


	29. Chapter 29

She made sure she was the last to exit the locker room, with the exception of Toni, who had managed to survive her first Vixen's practice with an unnatural ease.

She was not scared of Cheryl Blossom, much to Betty's amazement.

Betty took her time changing her clothes, retying her pony tail several times before she ultimately allowed her hair to fall across her shoulders in soft curls, listening to Cheryl drone on and on about if she should change the routine to more accommodate their latest addition.

Veronica tried to convince her to join the others at Pop's, but Betty refused, unwilling to spend another two hours watching as her best friend and Reggie stared at one another across the table, almost reaching out to clasp each other's hands in desperation.

The break up hadn't been easy on either one of them.

Veronica had turned to Archie for comfort, much to Reggie and Betty's shared annoyance, while Reggie had begun to lash out more on innocent bystanders, tormenting them without apology whenever he was able. His favorite targets were the youngest Serpent members, kids who weren't as well trained in the art of self-defense.

And besides, she already had plans.

"Maybe we should add some more flips." Cheryl said, grabbing her gym bag from off the floor. "Thoughts, B?"

"Um..." Betty began.

"No, you're right." She replied, completely ignoring her blonde haired friend. "Cartwheels are definitely the way to go."

Betty forced a smile. "Glad I could help, Cher."

Cheryl cast a glance at Toni, who was pretending to lace her boot for the second time.

"Not bad today, Cha Cha." She appraised. "But please, don't let me regret making you one of my Vixen's."

"Cheryl." Betty scolded.

"Kidding!" Cheryl sang, squeezing her arm as she passed. "Love you, bitch, ciao!"

Veronica held the door open for her. "You sure you don't want to come?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, V, I've just got so much to do at the Blue and Gold."

The raven haired girl offered her a sad smile. "We'll miss you, B."

Cheryl poked her head back in. "And could you please _try_ to get some more sleep tonight, B? Your moodiness is totally bumming the rest of us out."

Betty couldn't help but grin as the Vixen captain let out a yelp, no doubt after receiving a jab to her ribs courtesy of Veronica.

"So." Toni mused, slipping on her Serpent's jacket. "Those are your friends."

"Those are my friends." She confirmed, her lips forming a thin line.

"Cheryl seems kind of..."

"Self-absorbed?" Betty finished. "Bitchy? Controlling?"

"Well, all those too." She admitted, a funny look crossing her face. "I'm surprised you're not jumping to her defense."

Betty shrugged, shouldering the door open for the both of them. "Why should I? It's no secret that she's the biggest bitch Riverdale has seen since, well, ever. Even Cheryl knows what a bitch she can be, she thrives off of it."

"But you still hang out with her." Toni pointed out.

She let her shoulders drop again. "We've been through a lot."

The two girls stepped out into the nearly empty hallway.

"Why do you put up with it?" Toni demanded, after a moment. "I mean, if someone said something like that to me, I would..."

She trailed off, both of them knowing there was no need for her to finish the sentence. The threat was already there.

"Being a bitch is Cheryl's way to cope." Betty explained. "She's having a hard time with... I'm sure you've heard."

The girl's expression softened slightly. "Were you friends with Jason Blossom?"

The mention of his name allowed the familiar numbness to seep through her body once again. She was beginning to wonder if it would ever go away.

"Yeah." She muttered, avoiding Toni's gaze. "Yeah, I was."

"I'm sorry." Toni said.

Betty raised an eye brow. "Why?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "I just am."

The two girls shared a look, a mixture of apology, condolence, and perhaps, Betty thought, maybe even a flicker of respect from the female Serpent.

"Betty!" A familiar voice called.

Tearing her gaze away from Toni, Betty whirled around to face her best friend, her gaze unreadable. She and Archie had barely spoken; any time she looked at him, her anger and her fear of losing him in her plan to get rid of Grundy once and for all would mix together, becoming the most confusing combination.

"Hey." Archie greeted awkwardly, his eyes wary as he gazed at Toni. "Ronnie said you aren't coming to Pop's with us."

"Nope." Betty replied, her tone even.

He rubbed at the back of his neck with his hand, a clear sign he was growing nervous. "Oh, um, well... I was hoping we could talk."

"I really don't have anything to say, Arch." She told him.

"Betty..."

"I'll see you later."

She walked away from without a second glance, Toni following her.

"So _that's_ the boy you're trying to protect?"

"Grundy has Archie under some kind of sexual spell, and he won't listen to reason." Betty grumbled.

Jughead was waiting for them, _the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo_ currently holding his attention, both hands gripping the book.

"You _have_ read it." Betty teased, unlocking the office door.

He smirked in response. "Don't sound so surprised, Lisbeth. I'm a man who likes many different genres."

Her lips twitched as a grin threatened to escape at the use of the word _man._

"Betts..." Jughead warned.

"What?" She asked, feigning innocence.

His eyes narrowed.

Her heart fluttered.

It was amazing how easily they could fall back into old patterns, like they had never stopped being apart of one another's lives.

Toni stepped into the office, looking amused by their antics.

"Ms. Grundy showed up in Riverdale a year ago, out of thin air." Betty announced, throwing her bags down. She perched on top of her usual desk. "There's no record of her before that. Her Facebook, her Linkedln account, they were all created a year ago. Before that, she's a ghost. She doesn't exist. The only Geraldine Grundy I could find was a woman who died seven years ago."

She cast a glance at the other two occupants.

They were both staring at her now, their expressions a little too similar for her liking.

"What?" She demanded, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Jughead surveyed her for a moment, his eyes wary.

"Did you sleep at all?"

"Yes."

 _"Betty."_ He challenged.

"Okay, no."

His disapproving gaze met her own timid one, and instinctively, he held a hand out, waiting expectantly.

Betty sighed, pulling the container from her bag and pressing it into his palm. She had meant to give them to him earlier, he was still the only one she trusted.

Jughead shook it, testing its weight.

"I didn't take any."

"I know." He promised, shoving the pills into his pocket. "But at least this way, you won't be tempted. You really need to sleep, Betts."

"Toni." Betty addressed, ignoring his legitimate concerns. "Do you have the pictures?"

Toni's eyes lit up. "You guys are not going to believe some of the shots I got!"

She pulled a flash drive from her bag, plugging it into Betty's laptop. Moments later, they were flipping through photo after photo of Ms. Grundy, with none other than Chuck Clayton.

"Oh my god." Betty whispered.

Jughead shot her a worried look, and she tried to force a believable smile in response. Toni stopped at one photograph in particular that made her gasp, slowly backing away from the terrifying image, one she knew all too well.

Chuck's hand gripped Ms. Grundy's throat, pleasure in her eyes instead of fear.

Pain.

 _You're looking mighty fine tonight, B._

It was only when she stumbled, sending a coffee cup full of pencils, the erasers almost completely chewed by writers before her crashing to the ground, shattering into a million pieces, did Jughead tear his gaze away from the screen again, concern etching across his handsome features.

"Betty?" He asked, but she could barely hear him. "Betts? What's wrong?"

 _You're looking mighty fine tonight, B._

* * *

 **Two Years Ago**

* * *

"Hm." Cheryl drew out with a grin, surveying her friends. "Never have I ever... Gone skinny dipping!"

Betty and Veronica shared a nervous, almost giddy look as they clanked their glasses together, throwing back yet another shot.

Reggie pulled his girlfriend onto his lap, nuzzling her neck in a drunken haze. With Moose's parents gone for the weekend, he had opted to throw a party, and naturally, their circle of friends were front and center, playing every drinking game they could think of.

"B?" Cheryl questioned, her voice easily overheard even with the music blaring. "Seriously?"

Veronica squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

The red headed girl let her shoulders drop in a shrug, leaning into her twin brother, who was still staring at Betty in surprise.

"I always thought our little B was a prude." Cheryl admitted. "I mean, look at the way she dresses... No offense, babe, I mean, you look fucking _hot_ tonight, thanks to me."

Moose studied her for a moment. "I don't think I've ever seen you with your hair down, B."

"Oh!" Kevin called, letting out a giggle. He had never drank so much in one sitting. "I have, I have! She didn't start wearing the pony tail until second grade!"

"You should wear it down more often." Jason muttered.

A blush rose to her cheeks.

"Agreed." Chuck's arm fell around her shoulder, pulling her close. He ran his fingers through her curls, his touch sending an unwanted shiver down her spine. "So, B, when did this little... _Adventure_ take place?"

"Ew." Archie grumbled, from the space across from her. "I really don't need to know this."

Betty tried to giggle, swatting his leg as she rose to her feet, gripping Reggie's shoulder for support.

Slowly but surely, she began to wobble towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Veronica demanded.

She threw her glass upward, sending what little content was left sloshing from the side, staining the white carpet.

She heard Moose groan, and she began to mumble an apology, still moving forward to refill her drink. She thought Cheryl had called it a Riverdale Bulldog, her own twist on a Colorado Bulldog.

She wanted another one.

For whatever reason, she suspected it was due to the fact that they would all be crashing in Moose's basement when the party eventually _did_ die down, Archie hadn't limited her to two drinks and one shot. Since their first party freshman year, he often had to carry her into Veronica's room, the safest place to sleep off a hangover, tucking her into bed, holding her hair back as she threw up. She was lucky they were so comfortable around one another, their relationship mirroring that of a brother and sister rather than the epic love story she had always imagined.

Just as she began to pour the blue liquid into her crystal glass, an arm snaked around her waist, fingers grazing her hips.

"Alone at last." A familiar voice whispered in her ear. Betty cringed.

"C-Chuck." She slurred, whirling around to face him. She pressed her hands against his firm chest, pushing him away. "What are you doing?"

He looped his arms around her again. "I just wanna have some fun, baby."

She winced at the word.

"I should... I should... Archie..."

"Andrews is a nice guy." Chuck agreed, a smug grin on his face. "But you gotta know by now, B, he's never gonna want you the way I do."

Betty shook her head, almost frantically. "N... No, C-Chuck... We can't… I don't want to."

He pressed a chaste kiss to her neck in response.

"Chuck!" Betty snapped, finally regaining some composure. "S-Stop it! Get... Get away from me!"

She pushed him away again, a chill running down her spine as her back hit the cool metal door of the refrigerator.

Something flashed in his eyes, a look she had never seen before. Pure and absolute hatred.

Suddenly, he was beside her, his hand wrapping around her throat, not hard enough to choke her, but firm enough to startle her.

"You're looking _mighty_ fine tonight, B." He growled.

* * *

"No!" Betty cried, pushing herself even further away from them. Broken glass crunched underneath the sole of her ankle boots. "No! _No!"_

She slumped to the ground, pressing her hands to her face, squeezing her eyes shut as the tears began to flow.

She could still feel his grip on her neck, squeezing her throat. She had tried to push him away, she had tried to hit him, clawing at him. She had scraped his cheek with her nail, that she knew.

 _You know you want it, B, you're always wanted it._

 _Fucking tease._

"No!"

"Betty!"

"No!" She hissed, swinging her elbow into his ribcage. She couldn't let it happen. Not again. She wouldn't. "Stop! Get away from me!"

He grunted, but her act of self defense did little to deter him from clasping her arms, fingers locking around her wrists, trying to keep her from lashing out for a second time.

"Stop! Please!"

"Betty!" He snapped, his tone laced with irritation, though the concern almost completely masked it. "Shit, Betty, snap out of it! It's _me."_

 _It's just me, B._

"Please." Betty whimpered.

"Betty." He repeated, a little more firmly this time. "It's okay, everything's okay, just snap out of it. Come back to me."

 _It's just me._

"What's wrong with her?" A girl's voice demanded.

 _Toni._ Betty thought.

"I don't know." He replied cautiously. "Betts, it's me, Jughead."

 _Juggie?  
_

 _Betts?  
_

 _I need you._

"Juggie." Betty whispered, gripping his leather jacket, the material cool against her clammy palms.

"Right." Jughead muttered, trying to free himself from her grasp. "I'm right here, Betts, come on, open your eyes, snap out of it."

 _Come back to me._

Timidly, she cracked one lid, and then the other, trying to take in her surroundings.

Jughead was crouched down beside her, fingers locked around her wrist, while Toni gathered the broken pieces of glass from the floor, depositing them into the nearest trashcan.

The photo of Chuck and Ms. Grundy was still visible on the screen of her laptop.

"No!" Betty cried.

Jughead caught her before she could retreat into her protective shell again. Her head fell against his shoulder, her entire body shaking. His hand made comforting circles across her back, his touch almost instantly calming her.

"Shh." He muttered. "It's okay, Betts, it's all right."

When her sobs began to subside, she pulled away slightly, brushing the tears away with the back of her hand.

"Are you okay?"

Betty nodded slowly, not trusting herself to speak.

Jughead rose, taking hold of both her arms to haul her up too. She stumbled, and he caught her, easily supporting her weight as he began to tow her towards the door.

"I'm taking her home." He said to Toni, who nodded.

"Juggie." Betty protested weakly.

He ignored her, grabbing her bag, and then his own, from the floor, slinging both across his shoulder.

They walked out of the school in silence, Jughead releasing his grasp, only to take her by the hand, tugging her in the familiar direction of her neighborhood.

"What did you see, Betts?" He demanded, after a moment. "Where did you go?"

"I..." She blinked, trying to recall any memory of the earlier event, but they slipped away, evaporating into nothingness. "I don't know."

Jughead's jaw tightened.

"What are we gonna do?" Betty whispered. Her legs still felt wobbly.

He regarded her coldly.

 _"We."_ He echoed. "We aren't going to do anything, Cooper."

"Jughead-"

"I'll take care of it." He said simply.

His lips formed a thin line, a clear indicator that he was finished with the conversation, and maybe that worked on his fellow Serpents, but she didn't answer to him. She never had.

"We're a team here, Jug."

"No, Betts, we're not." Jughead hissed through clenched teeth. "Not this time."

"Juggie-"

 _"No_ , Betty."

Her eyes narrowed. "Give me one good reason."

 _"Betty."_

 _"Jug."_

"Because I don't want you anywhere near this!" He snapped, yanking his free hand through his hair.

Betty stared at him in response. "Juggie..."

His gaze didn't soften at her terrified tone.

"I'll take care of it." He said again.

They were nearing her house, and he let go of her completely, passing her the knapsack before shoving his hands into the pockets of his black jeans.

"I'll take care of it." Jughead promised. "Look at it this way, Cooper, when this is over, the only person Archie can hate is me."

Betty shook her head. "You're not doing this for Archie."

"You're right." He agreed. "I'm not."

"You're doing it for me." Betty realized. "Why?"

He didn't answer.

"Jug."

"Good night, Betts." Jughead said, not looking at her as he began to walk away.

"Juggie." He ignored her.

"Does this have something to do with Chuck?" She cried, trembling when she spoke his name.

His hands balled up into fists, but he didn't stop walking.

"Juggie!" Betty begged. "Please, talk to me! Why does it feel like I'm the only one not in on the secret?"

 _Because you are._ A familiar voice, deep within her subconscious, whispered. _Why can't you remember, Betty Cooper? Why?_


	30. Chapter 30

Cheryl surveyed the girls, her expression unreadable.

"Vixens." She addressed. "If you perform that way tomorrow, we are going to _rock_ this game!"

They cheered in response as they gathered up their belongings, heading towards the locker room to change.

Veronica glanced over her shoulder to look for Betty, and found her several steps behind, engrossed in a conversation with the newest member of the squad, she still couldn't believe Cheryl had invited a _Serpent_ to be a Vixen, Toni, the irritation and worry clear in her eyes.

She fell back to ease drop.

"I'm sorry, Betty." Toni whispered. "Really, I am, but I can't tell you."

 _Tell her what?_ Veronica wondered.

"Toni, if he's going to do something stupid..."

"He's _always_ doing something stupid." She replied, and the two girls shared a small smile.

Veronica's lips formed a thin line.

Normally, she was not the possessive type, at least, not when it came to her friends, but Betty was her _best_ friend, the one person she could tell everything to, there were no secrets between then, though Betty had not been around much lately, skipping out on group outings, hardly ever answering her phone. When Veronica did see her, it was like her mind was elsewhere, and she was starting to wonder if her mindlessness had anything to do with the Serpents ring leader, the former best friend of Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper, Jughead Jones.

No matter how hard Betty tried to deny it, she had seen the two those two looked at one another in the hallways, or across the diner at Pop's.

She didn't understand it. At all.

But she _wanted_ to. She wanted Betty to open up to her, to tell her what, if anything, was going on between her and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, she wanted to talk about Jason, she was beginning to suspect that her golden haired best friend had yet to grieve over the Blossom boy's death, she wanted to talk about anything Betty wanted to talk about.

Veronica just wanted her friend back.

"I just..."

"You worry about him?" Toni guessed, grinning. "You two have more in common than you think."

Betty raised an eye brow. "Juggie worries about me?"

She adjusted the weight of her gym bag against her shoulder. "Don't look so surprised, Cooper."

"I just..." Betty shook her head. "After everything that's happened..."

Toni reached out to touch her arm, the gentleness in her surprising even Veronica. Weren't Serpents supposed to be cold, blood thirsty gang bangers?

That's what Reggie had always told her when she asked.

"If he can forgive and forget, then maybe you should too."

 _Forgive?_ Veronica thought angrily. _What does B have to be sorry for? She did nothing wrong!_

She only knew what Archie had told her, that himself, Betty and Jughead had grown apart during their first semester of high school, with Archie and Betty taking their rightful places in Riverdale High's inner circle.

Growing bored of ease dropping, Veronica stalked forward, catching hold of Betty's hand.

"Excuse us!" She sang, no apology laced in her tone.

"V!" Betty protested warily. "I was talking to Toni."

"And now." Veronica replied, throwing open the locker room door. "You're talking to _me."_

"Veronica." She sighed, pulling her arm free.

The raven haired girl frowned. "You never talk to me anymore, B, and anyway, why would you wanna hang around with a _Serpent_ when you can hang out with _us?"_

"Maybe because she's nice?" Betty shot back, her eyes narrowing. "Maybe because I like hanging out with her?"

Veronica couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Betty, she's-"

"What do you even know about the Serpents, V?" She challenged.

"B-"

"We're all so... _Judgmental."_ Betty hissed, her teeth clenched. "Towards the Serpents, towards everyone who doesn't play football, or wear this stupid uniform!"

"Betty." Veronica scolded.

The door swung open again.

Toni entered, her expression unreadable, but Veronica knew she had heard every word.

"B." Cheryl echoed, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "Take it down a notch, sweetie, before you make a scene."

"Shut up, Cheryl." She snarled.

The Vixen captain managed to keep her composure, studying their blonde friend for a few moments as she decided what to do.

"You're stressed." Cheryl observed.

That was true; between school, homework, practices, games and trying to run the Blue and Gold by herself, it seemed like Betty didn't have any free time, for her friends, or for the essential things, eating, sleeping. She hadn't sat with them in days, spending her lunch hour bent over her laptop in the office, attempting to perfect her latest editorial.

Veronica would have been lying if she said she wasn't worried; they all were, but they knew better than to push her.

Betty exhaled through her nose.

"I know just what you need, babe." Cheryl told her. "I think we could all use it. Sleepover at my house, tomorrow night after the game!"

The Vixen's in the locker room looked excited at the idea of getting to spend a night at Thornhill.

Cheryl smirked. "Sorry, my Vixen's, inner circle only."

More than half of their faces fell.

Cheryl turned to Toni. "Of course you're invited, Cha Cha."

"Cher." Veronica hissed.

"Veronica." Betty warned.

"Me?" Toni asked, looking surprised. "Oh... Um... Thanks, but slumber parties really aren't my thing."

"Yes, sweetie, I know." Cheryl replied, tossing her hair. "But you're one of _us_ now."

"Cher." Betty scolded, casting the Serpent an apologetic glance. "Toni, you don't have to come if you don't want to, but... It would be really great to have you there."

"B." Veronica whined.

Whose side was she on, anyway?

"I'll think about it." Toni said finally.

Betty didn't bother to change out of her uniform, instead pulling her knapsack from her gym locker. She didn't spare any of them a glance as she stormed out into the hallway.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Veronica had no idea why her best friend was suddenly coming to the defense of a Northsider's greatest enemy, but she was going to find out.

Soon.


	31. Chapter 31

**Quick A/N: I'm sorry to those of you who are getting upset by the last couple of chapters, but please keep reading. There is so much more to what happened the night of the party. Betty remembers more thank she thinks. Not everything is as it seems. Thank you again for reading!**

* * *

"How many books do you have?" She demanded, sliding into the booth across from him.

Jughead grinned, his eyes never leaving the page. "Enough to tide me over. How was practice?"

"Fine."

He closed his worn paper cover at her tone.

Toni was a tough girl, always had been, but sometimes, he could read her just as easily as a certain golden haired girl next door.

"Toni."

Toni sighed. "Some of the Vixen's aren't exactly _thrilled_ to have a Southsider on the squad, let alone a Serpent."

His jaw tightened. She could take care of herself, he knew that, but that had never stopped him from wanting to look out for her. She reminded him of Jellybean in a way, why, exactly, he really wasn't sure.

"Do you want me to say something?"

"Actually." She said. "Someone already did."

"Who?" He questioned, his brow arching in confusion.

"Your girl." Toni replied with a smile.

Should he have even asked?

"She's not my-"

"Jug."

"It's not like that." Jughead defended.

She shot him a knowing look that he tried greatly to ignore.

"What did she say?"

"She got into a fight with that raven haired chick... Um..."

"Veronica." He deadpanned. He didn't care for her much either. "Veronica Lodge."

"Right, Veronica. She got into a fight with her friend Veronica-"

"About what?" Jughead cut her off again, more desperate than he would ever admit aloud to hear something about Betty's life.

She hadn't spoken to him in three days.

She had every right to be angry with him, he just wished he could explain his reasonings as to why there were now so many secrets between the one time best friends.

"Do you wanna hear this, or not?"

"Sorry."

"Veronica asked Betty why she was hanging out with me."

"You were hanging out with Betty?"

 _"Jug."  
_

"Sorry." He mumbled.

Toni eyed him warily. "Should I not hang out with her?"

Jughead let his shoulders drop. "Do what you want, I just thought you were gonna stay on the sidelines."

"That was _your_ plan, Jones, not mine."

"Is it really safe for us to be hanging around her?" Jughead asked. It was a thought that had been nagging at him since the night he'd discovered her at Sweet Water River. "Toni, we _are_ Serpents."

She stared at him for a few moments, her expression unreadable.

"Toni-"

"You really do care about her." Toni mused.

He did.

Maybe more than he had ever cared about anyone in his entire, even his own family, or what was left of it.

"Yes."

"You're right, Jug." Toni told him. "We _are_ Serpents, we find ourselves in dangerous situations all the time, we do dumb shit that could very well harm the people we love the most, but we also protect our own, and you have made it clear that Betty Cooper is yours, so I'm not going to stop protecting her now just because you're worried about collateral damage."

Jughead had never been so grateful to have a friend like her.

"We can't leave her alone now." She added.

"Finish your story."

"Oh, right. Betty got mad at Veronica after she insulted the Serpent name. She said that she and her friends have been _way_ too judgmental."

Jughead chuckled darkly.

 _That_ was an understatement.

It shouldn't have surprised him that Betty had come to the Southside's defense, but it did. As much as it pained him, there had been a few times during his interactions with her that he truly believed the Betty Cooper he knew and well...

 _That_ too, he guessed, was gone forever.

She was not like her friends, whether she wanted to believe that or not. She was not too far gone to become her own person again, and he was going to fight for her, to bring the old Betty back.

She was in there somewhere.

"I also got invited to a sleepover."

Jughead snorted. "Seriously?"

"Inner circle only?" Toni questioned, her brows knitting together in disgust.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

A plan had been put into action. Fangs, Sweet Pea and several of the other Serpents currently attending Riverdale High reluctantly agreeing to help him. He wasn't going to tell Betty about it, he couldn't, because he knew her. Too well. She would insist on being there, but the last thing he would ever do was let her anywhere near Serpent business, even if it was technically on her behalf. He had to protect her, any way he could.

"Is Betty going?"

She laughed. "Does she really have a choice?"

"Good point." He replied, his tone bitter. "Toni, you're going to hate me..."

She glared at him. "Please don't say what I think you're about to say."

"Someone has to look out for her." Jughead reminded her. "I need you to keep an eye on her will I get rid of Grundy."

"Get rid of... You mean..."

 _"No_ , Toni."

"Kidding!"

"Right."

"Do you not trust her?" Toni asked. "Is that why you want me to babysit your girlfriend?"

"She's not my..." He trailed off, unwilling to amuse her. "I _do_ trust her, that's the problem. I trust that she'll do whatever it takes to protect her precious Archie."

"Including confronting Professor Cougar by herself?"

"Or worse." Jughead agreed.

Toni frowned. "You don't mean..."

"Chuck." He hissed. "I'm afraid that if I don't tell her soon, she'll go after Chuck."

"Or Chuck will go after her." She muttered, her expression suddenly turning grave. "I've seen the way he looks at her, Jug."

His jaw tightened.

"I'll kill him before I let him get within an inch of her." He promised.

Toni pulled her fingers through her thick curls. "You really need to tell her."

"I know."


	32. Chapter 32

"Toni!" She called.

The girl waited for her to catch up, shouldering the door open for the both of them as she shot her a genuine smile.

"Hey, Blondie."

"Blondie?" Betty repeated with a laugh, before deciding to ignore the nickname. "You were amazing out there. I wish you would have been here last year."

Something flashed in her eyes, a look she couldn't quite read, but it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

"You're not anything like I expected." Toni mused, after a moment.

Betty didn't even have to ask.

She began to wonder what, if anything, Jughead had told her about the friendship they had once shared. Did she know about all the times he had followed her along to interviews, even going undercover, incognito, to keep her out of trouble as she got the information she needed for her newest editorial? Did she know how many nights he had sacrificed his own sleep to try and ease her troubled mind?

Did she know about how many afternoons they had spent at Pop's, reading their respective current favorites, looking over at one another every so often, but never needing to speak?

Or did she know about ice queen Betty Cooper, the girl who took Adderall to try and cope with her hectic life, the girl who more or less let her group of friends control her every action, the girl who had let one of the best friends she'd ever had dissipate from her life without much of a fight.

"Toni..." She drew out, her nails digging into the palm of her hand from the nerves. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Toni replied, without hesitation.

"Do you think it's possible to be two different people at once?"

It was a deep question, one she might have normally asked Archie or Veronica had she not been on the outs with both of them, though she knew the answer they would give her. They would have told her that she was the same person she had always been, the girl they knew and loved, but that would have been a lie.

She needed someone to be honest with her, and because the only person she trusted was not there, she was willing to extend that faith to the person closest to him. Toni.

Toni stared at her, her expression suddenly thoughtful.

"I don't know, Betty." She admitted.

Betty released her nails from her palm, her movements not going unnoticed by the female Serpent. Suddenly, a hand enclosed around her own, keeping her from repeating the action.

"I think that we all act differently around different people." Toni continued. "But at the end of the day, you are who you are, and that's probably who you've always been."

Betty blinked, processing her words. They should have made complete and total sense.

And yet, she had no idea what Toni had meant by that.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Do you like the way you act around your friends?" Toni questioned.

There was no hesitation in Betty's tone.

"No."

"Do you like the way you act around Jughead?"

Her lips formed a thin line.

Around Jughead, she felt more like herself, more like the Betty Cooper she had thought was lost from the moment she joined the River Vixen's. befriending Cheryl, and Veronica, and Reggie, and the rest of them.

"Sometimes."

"Well." Toni squeezed her hand. "Then I think you have your answer."

She opened her mouth to reply.

"B!" A sophomore member of the team called, rushing towards them. "You need to come with me! It's bad, it's getting bad!"

"What's wrong?" Betty demanded.

"Veronica!" The girl replied. "It's Veronica and Reggie!"

Forgetting the previous day's events, she was still irritated with her best friend, they had barely spoken all afternoon, Betty found herself following along behind her teammate, pulling an unsuspecting Toni along behind her.

It was only when she saw the scene unfolding, Veronica, eyes wide, frantic, as she swung at him again, Reggie, his arms thrown upward as he tried to defend himself, did she untangle herself from Toni's grasp, moving to step in between the two.

"V!" She said.

"Get out of my way, B." Veronica snarled. "You lying son of a bitch!"

"Ronnie!" Reggie pleaded, reaching around Betty to make a grab for her wrist. "It didn't mean anything!"

The raven haired girl's eyes filled with tears, threatening to leave mascara streaks across both cheeks.

"You _always_ say that." She hissed. "You are such a dick, Reg. god, what did I ever see in your worthless ass?"

The football player's gaze hardened.

Betty waited anxiously for the outburst. Reggie had never taken well to being insulted, even by his ex-girlfriend, the person he swore he loved beyond the shadow of a doubt.

"Maybe I _should_ go out with her, Ronnie." He taunted, malice dripping from his tone. "I bet she'd be a better fuck than you, you uptight bitch."

Cheryl clasped Veronica's arms before she could start forward again.

No one was looking at defenseless little Betty Cooper.

Her blood boiled.

No matter how many fights they got in, no matter how much she disagreed with Veronica's point of view, no one insulted her best friend.

Without a second thought, she threw her arm back, her fist connecting with his hard cheek.

Gasps and murmurs echoed throughout the crowds.

Reggie glowered at her, bringing up a hand to cover his face. Cheryl and Veronica were staring at her, wide eyed. Chuck and Moose had just exited the locker room, their jaws falling simultaneously.

"What the fuck, B-"

Fingers locked around her wrist, yanking her away from the prying eyes of her peers before anyone could take a step towards her.

"Not bad." Toni said, her tone thoughtful. "But next time, don't tuck your thumb into your fist, you could have broken it."

Betty glanced at her in surprise, the reality of what she had just done finally sinking in.

"Reggie is gonna _kill_ me." Betty muttered. "I should go-"

For reasons only known to herself, Toni's gaze hardened, and she yanked hard on Betty's arm, holding her firmly in place.

"Don't you dare." She hissed. "Don't _ever_ apologize for protecting your friends."


	33. Chapter 33

"Dude." Sweet Pea muttered, his boot making a scuffled sound against the pavement as he kicked the sidewalk. "You are so fucking whipped."

Jughead fixed him with a glare strong enough to make his long time friend think twice about uttering another word. He was not _whipped._

No.

He was helping his...

 _A_...

He didn't even know what to call her anymore.

She was his childhood best friend, the only girl he had ever shown even the slightest amount of interest in, not that Betty had ever noticed. She was someone he would always care about, no matter what happened.

She was the one person in the world he would have done anything for.

Which was why he, and several other Serpents, were currently outside Ms. Grundy's home again, safely hidden from view as they waited for the music teacher to return from the game. He'd only received one text from Toni, confirming that Betty was indeed at Cheryl's humble abode, finally out of his way.

Jughead regretted the thought the second it came to mind.

He didn't want to keep Betty in the dark, it nearly killed him to. What he really, truly wanted was for them to be a team, even if it meant getting into the stickiest of situations, just for them to be a duo again, but seeing her reaction to the photos of Chuck, his hand wrapped around Ms. Grundy's throat, the way she had crumpled to the ground, tears pricking her eyes, Betty Cooper _never_ cried, had sent his urge to protect her, to shield her from everything and everything, into overdrive.

Which was why he had been avoiding her since the night he'd walked her home, too afraid that she would somehow uncover his plot to rid Riverdale of its only music teacher and insist on trying to help.

He didn't want her anywhere near this.

He wouldn't let her anywhere near it.

So he would do all the dirty work, with the help of his always loyal Serpents, and if he had to, he would be the bad guy, he would take the blame.

He would protect Betty, no matter what.

"Jug." Fangs muttered, nodding to the approaching headlights.

The Cougar was finally home.

* * *

Betty hissed in pain before Cheryl could even ask if her knuckles hurt.

"It doesn't _look_ broken, B." She offered unhelpfully. "But it's pretty swollen."

"I can _see_ that, Cher." Betty replied, her teeth clenched.

"Move." Toni commanded, gently pushing the River Vixen captin aside, her fingers locking around Betty's wrist as she inspected the damage. She brushed a cool, quick thumb across Betty's fist, causing her to wince.

Veronica caught hold of her uninjured hand, squeezing softly.

"I can't believe you did that." She muttered.

Betty cast her a glance. "He insulted you. What was I supposed to do?"

"Let one of the guys handle it?" Cheryl suggested.

Veronica's eyes looked wary, like she wasn't sure whose side she should have been on. "Walk away?"

"Learn to throw a punch?" Toni released her grip on Betty's arm. "Nothing's broken, by the way, but you're gonna have a nice bruise by the looks of it."

"I like your idea." Betty told her.

"I'll show you." She volunteered.

"Oh, I don't think so." Cheryl piped in, standing up. "I don't want this to be a repeat performance. Bad Ass Betty doesn't really suit you, B, I much prefer our sweet little journalist."

She meant she wanted the girl who didn't push back, who didn't ask questions, and who certainly didn't go around taking shots at someone who was supposed to be a good friend of hers.

Really, she wasn't sure what had come over her tonight.

As angry as she still was at Veronica, for insulting Toni, even for her unleashed vengeance against Jughead, an occurrence she'd thought she was over until now, but no one, especially not her asshole of an ex, insulted her best friend. Ever.

"Come on, Vixens." Cheryl ordered, starting towards the grand staircase. "There's ice in the freezer, B, hurry up."

Veronica hesitated in following, and then, suddenly, the raven haired girl's arms were wrapped around her in an almost too tight embrace.

"I like Bad Ass Betty." She muttered. "And I love you."

"I love you too, V."

The moment her best friend disappeared around the corner, Toni offered her a wink.

"I know someone else who would _love_ Bad Ass Betty." She teased.

A very noticeable blush rose to her cheeks.

* * *

"W-What's going on?" She cried, her voice muffled by the sack pulled over her head.

Jughead rolled his eyes.

He wasn't like Fangs or Sweet Pea, who enjoyed the riskier mission, the very reason he suspected they had come along with him, other than to prove their loyalty. Jughead liked being a Serpent, he liked holding a high degree of power, but violence was never his style, no matter how good he was at it.

He didn't want to hurt Grundy, only startle her enough to make her leave town, to keep her away from Archie, and in turn, Betty. Growing bored of her pleading and begging, Jughead gave a curt nod to the Serpent on his left, signaling him to stalk forward to free Ms. Grundy from the burlap he'd yanked over her head only twenty minutes before.

"W-What's going on?" The teacher echoed, blinking as her eyes tried to adjust to the bright headlights of the motorcycles that surrounded her. "Where are we?"

"We're in Greendale." Jughead deadpanned, already bored. "Your new home."

She scowled at him. "Young man-"

"Quiet!" Sweet Pea barked, always his right hand man.

Ms. Grundy's lips formed a thin line. "You can't just bring me here and expect me to-"

"Actually." He replied, crouching down beside her. "I can."

When she shrank back in fear, he rolled his eyes. Weaker women than her hadn't submitted to their fear so early in the conversation.

"Frankly, Grundy." Jughead sneered. "I don't care where you go, or what you do, but you're not going to stay in Riverdale, and you're sure as hell not going to go near Archie Andrews again."

A knowing look crossed her face.

"Archie?" She repeated warily. "That's why you're here? That is none of your-"

"I'm making it my business." He hissed, and he was. The thought of Archie with a teacher disgusted him, secretly making him seethe.

Archie had always been one of the smartest people he knew, and Jughead would be damned if he let him former friend make such a monumental mistake.

Perhaps he wasn't just doing this for the girl next door.

"Did Archie's stupid little friend put you up to this?" Ms. Grundy demanded. "Betty Cooper needs to learn to keep her mouth shut."

Jughead's jaw tightened, his nostrils flaring.

* * *

"Okay, B." A Vixen drew out. "Truth or Dare?"

Betty sighed. This game, especially when played by her immediate circle of friends, never ended well.

At a party the previous year, she had been dared to break into Riverdale High in the middle of the night to give their precious statue a little makeover. With Jason, Reggie and Veronica at her side, Moose, Kevin, Archie and Cheryl keeping watch, they had set off an alarm. She could still feel Jason gripping her arm, yanking her along behind him. They had all been forced to split up, feeling that it was safer as the police sirens began to wail.

Jason had taken her to the edge of Sweet Water River. How could she have forgotten that?

 _I know what happened._

"B?"

"Um..." She pretended to think. "Truth?"

The girl grinned evilly, scarily mimicking Cheryl was she was in her cruelest of moods. "What's going on between you and that _Serpent_ freak?"

Betty's nails dug into the palm of her hand.

Toni glowered at her. "Who are you calling a freak?"

"Savannah." Cheryl warned, ice dripping from her tone. "Shut up."

Betty couldn't believe it.

She was actually _defending_ Toni.

And then, she realized, Savannah hadn't been talking about Toni at all.

"Jughead." She corrected, her lips forming a thin line. "His name is Jughead."

Savannah remained determined, despite Cheryl's deathly glare that could stop even the toughest of girls in their tracks. "Fine, whatever, what's going on between you and _Jughead?"_

"N-Nothing..."

"You have to tell the truth, B."

"Leave her alone, Sav." Veronica commanded.

"She has to tell the truth." She shot back. "C'mon, B, spill. Is there anything you wanna tell us?"

Veronica turned to Cheryl. "Why is she here?"

The River Vixen captain let her shoulders drop in a shrug.

She should have picked dare.

How could she possibly answer that question truthfully when she didn't know what the truth was herself?

* * *

Jughead shoved the woman, hard enough to send her trembling form several feet backwards.

"Keep her fucking name out of your mouth." He hissed.

Whatever desire he'd had to defend Archie was gone, completely over masked by his desire to protect his golden haired girl.

"You're _Serpents."_ Grundy accused, tears filling her eyes.

Fangs suddenly darted forward, so used to having to defend their name. Jughead extended his arm to halt him.

"That's right, _Cougar."_ He taunted, a grin gracing his lips at the thought of all the nicknames Toni had come up with for the teacher over the last week. "We're Serpents, and I think you know _exactly_ what that means."

She didn't answer, her gaze glued to the ground.

Jughead smirked.

Their reputation indeed preceded them, it got the job done.

"Here's what's going to happen." He hissed. "You're going to leave Riverdale. Tonight. You're going to hire someone to clear out your house, you're going to quit your job, and you're not going to come back. Ever."

She managed a watery laugh. "Who's going to stop me? _You?"_

A frown etched across his features.

This woman had _no_ idea what he was capable of.

But, he was doing this for Betty, Archie too, and he highly doubted either of them would approve of some of his previous actions when it came to getting what he wanted.

"It's either Greendale or jail, bitch." Jughead sneered.

Grundy carefully raised her gaze to meet his own, her eyes widening.

"J-Jail?" She gasped.

"Jail." He confirmed, smirking again. "I wonder how Riverdale would react to a teacher seducing not one, but _two_ of her students."

The teacher let a single tear slide down her cheek. He felt absolutely no sympathy towards her.

"The way I see it." He pulled his pack of cigarettes from his pocket, cupping his hand over the flame as he lit one and took a long drag. "Either you save your reputation, leave Riverdale, and _never_ come near Archie, or Betty again, or you stay, and keep trying to seduce my boy, and _try_ and go after my girl with the knowledge that I will be coming to _end_ you, bitch."

* * *

"Betty."

She stirred, but didn't open her eyes, wanting nothing more than to return to her dream. It was just like old times, sitting in a booth at Pop's, Jughead across from her, eyes glued to his laptop. Every so often, his gaze would find hers, and he would smirk, the way he used to, without all the smugness behind it.

They could read one another's minds.

 _"Betty."_ They repeated, a little more firmly this time.

"Hmm." She responded. "Juggie."

"Betty!" Toni whispered, catching hold of her uninjured wrist. "Come on, Blondie, wake up."

Betty reluctantly relented, cracking a single eyelid to gaze at the girl.

Toni was leaning over Veronica's passed out form, still clasping her arm, her eyes filled with amusement.

"What were you dreaming about?" She asked, a small smile gracing her lips.

"I..." She shook her head, her pony tail swinging. "I don't know. What's going on?"

"Come with me." Toni said, her grip slipping down until she caught hold of Betty's hand, their fingers interlacing. "Hurry."

Slipping out of her sleeping bag, she allowed her hair to fall into tangled curls across her shoulders. She pulled a cardigan over her purple pajama top and tucked her black and purple checkered pajama bottoms into her black slipper UGG boots before she let Toni pull her from the room, her oblivious teammates still sound asleep.

"Where are we going?" She hissed.

Toni didn't answer, tugging her down the grand staircase and out the front door, the cool, crisp air hitting her cheeks.

"Toni?"

But then, she spotted him, parked across the street.

He was leaning against his motorcycle, wearing his ever present leather jacket, a long sleeved flannel looped around his waist in a double knot. His arms were crossed, shoulders hunched as if trying to protect himself from the cold.

An unreadable expression flashed across his face when he saw her.

He took in her current state, hair messily framing her face, clad in only her girly sleepwear, and a light sweater, his lips twitching as a grin threatened to escape.

"Jug?" Betty questioned.

"Hey Betts." He answered, nonchalance dripping from his tone.

"Um... What's up?"

She wasn't sure why she suddenly felt so nervous around him. Usually, Jughead was the only one who could calm her, even in the worse of situations. He smirked at her stuttered words, and she hated the smugness behind it. That was not her Jughead.

Not that he had ever been hers to begin with, of course.

"You okay?" Jughead asked, with faux innocence.

Did he know that he had such an affect on her?

By the way he was looking at her, brows arched, amusement and smugness laced through his features, he had to have known, but he didn't comment on it, perhaps not wanting to push the limits any further when they were not alone.

"It's done, Betts." He told her, and she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Juggie..." She began.

"She's gone." Jughead promised. "She won't be coming back."

Betty's eyes widened. "Did you-"

 _"No."_ He hissed, now sounding irritated.

She wouldn't ask him that again.

She knew Jughead, whether he wanted to admit that or not, there was not a truly violent bone in his body.

"She's really gone?"

"Yep." He replied, popping the _p._ "It's over, Cooper, Grundy won't be a problem anymore."

"What did you..."

"Don't worry about it."

"Juggie..."

"Fuck, Betts, I said _don't worry about it."_ Jughead snapped, raking a hand through his hair. He wasn't wearing his beanie for once. "I took care of it. The less you know, the better."

Betty took a hesitant step back, wincing at his tone. His brows furrowed at the movement, and he seemed to snap back to reality in an instant.

She understood immediately.

He hadn't meant to startle her.

"What if she does come back?" Betty heard herself ask.

"She won't."

"Jughead-"

"Shit, Betts, then I'll take care of that too." Jughead sneered. "I don't want you taking any credit for this, do you understand me? If anyone asks, if anyone comes after you, even Archie, I want you to say it was my idea."

There he went again, protecting her from some unseen force.

"Juggie..."

"Promise me, Betts."

He wasn't asking her, he was telling her, ordering her to lie, commanding that she place all the blame on him.

 _"Betty."_

"Okay." She said.

"Say it, Cooper."

"I promise." She reluctantly spit out.

Jughead looked visibly relieved.

"Juggie?"

"What?"

Without even thinking about it, Betty rushed towards him, slipping her hands into his leather jacket to wind her arms around his torso. The scent of gasoline, leather, cigarettes, aftershave and cologne, reminding her of the night he'd carried her, was oddly comforting, or maybe it was just him, maybe she just needed him, his touch, his presence.

Maybe she just _missed_ him.

It took him a moment to awkwardly fold her into a hug, his jacket almost closing around her, the dark leather holding them both.

She wondered how long it had been since he'd embraced anyone else, but he relaxed suddenly, his hand making familiar, soothing circles across her back while his other arm slipped across her shoulders, pulling her close.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Jughead pushed her back slightly, his eyes searching her face.

"Any time." He muttered.

And then, for reasons even she didn't understand, Betty stood on her tiptoes, pressing a quick kiss to his stubbly cheek.

He looked stunned when they separated again, but in typical Jughead fashion, he recovered quickly, his smirk smugger than she had ever seen.

"You're good." Betty admitted. "Juggie... Please tell me that you still write."

Toni seemed surprised by the statement.

"You _write_ too?" She demanded.

Jughead groaned, raking a hand through his hair.

"Thanks a lot, Betts." He grumbled, pinching her waist.

She giggled, pressing her palm over her mouth to try and conceal the sound. The last thing she needed was for the rest of the girls to wake up and discover she was gone, and with Jughead no less. She had yet to answer Savannah's question, accusation really, about what was going on between the pair.

Were they friends again?

Acquaintances who still cared about one another?

They certainly weren't strangers. Not anymore.

"Yes, I still write." His voice broke her from her thoughts. "Why?"

"Huh?"

He raised an eye brow at her dazed expression. "Why do you want to know, Cooper?"

"Because..." Betty drew out, awkwardly shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "I could really use some help at the Blue and Gold."

Jughead blinked, processing her words.

"What, seriously?"

She nodded, bringing a hand up to push the hair from her face.

His eyes zeroed in on her bruised knuckles, and in a flash, his fingers were locked around her wrist in a vice grip, staring down at the black and blue marks.

"Who did this to you?" He hissed, his tone dark. Dangerous.

"It was my fault." Betty defended, trying and failing to free her arm. "I... Well... I might have..."

"She decked that raven haired ass hat." Toni interjected.

He almost looked amused. "Who, Reggie?"

She nodded again.

"Why?"

"He called Veronica a bitch."

"Damn." Jughead mumbled, brushing a thumb across her aching skin. His touch soothed her again. "You can't go around hitting your friends, Betts."

"Maybe I need new friends." She replied.

He cocked an eye brow at her ambiguous response.

"So, what do you say?"

"You shouldn't tuck your thumb in." He instructed. "You could have broken your hand, Cooper."

"Jug." Betty shook her head in faux amusement, disapproval dripping from her tone. "Not about that."

"I don't think you should be friends with Reggie either."

"Jug."

"No one wants to read an article about Cheryl Blossom's nighttime routine, Betts."

"How did you even..." Her eyes narrowed at the sight of his signature smirk. "Jug! Come on!"

"Okay, okay." He said with a laugh. "I'll help you with the Blue and Gold, Betts, on one condition."

"Toni becomes the photographer." Betty finished.

"Toni becomes the..." It was his turn to trail off, his grip against her arm tightening slightly. "Betty..."

She smiled up at him. "I know you, Jughead Jones."

"Oh really?" Jughead challenged. "What's my favorite color?"

"Black." She answered easily. "Like your soul. Also the way you take your coffee."

"Betty."

"You love anything by Quentin Tarantino." Betty recited. "You've been listening to Metallica since we were eight, you've worn that beanie for as long as I could remember."

"Betty." He warned again, sounding both amused and cautious.

So many memories came flooding back to her.

Suddenly, she wanted to tease him, she wanted to prove to him that she would always know him, no matter how much time they spent apart.

"You used to carry around Hot Dog all the time-Mmmph!"

Jughead yanked her towards him easily, her back pressed up against his chest as his hand smacked over her mouth, effectively cutting off her speech.

"Hot Dog?" Toni demanded, her eyes dancing at the new information. "Who's Hot Dog?"

"Nothing!" Jughead snapped, his arm hooking around her neck, anchoring her to him. "No one. Elizabeth Cooper, not another word."

"She knows you."

"Apparently." He responded.

Betty grinned under his hand.

"Interesting." Toni mused. "Very interesting."


	34. Chapter 34

"Reg." Archie muttered, clasping him by the shoulder to hold him in place as he examined the left side of his friend's face. "What the hell happened?"

Reggie glowered at him. "You didn't hear?"

He shook his head.

He hadn't spoken to any of his friends all weekend, his phone remaining strangely silent. He'd tried to reach Betty countless times, even arriving at her house to offer her a ride to school, but no one answered. While Reggie, Chuck, Kevin and Moose were huddled together around Chuck's locker, the girls were nowhere to be seen.

"Your batshit crazy best friend did this to me." Reggie grumbled.

Archie's jaw tightened, Jughead's name automatically coming to mind. His eyes widened when he realized that Reggie had meant Betty.

Seconds later, a familiar head of blonde hair rounded the corner, Cheryl and Veronica on either side of her. Sure enough, her right hand was doted with purple and blue bruises.

Archie's arm extended in front of Reggie before he could start towards them.

Betty avoided his gaze.

Cheryl scoffed.

"Come on." She ordered, her fingers locking around Betty's uninjured wrist. "Let's go."

"Betty." Archie called, annoyance and concern lacing through his tone. "Betty, wait!"

He moved to stand in front of the girls, blocking their path.

Veronica shot Reggie a look he couldn't quite place, hurt, anger or both.

"Betty." He said again, his eyes glued to her bruised knuckles. "I think we need to talk."

Her lips formed a thin line. "Not right now, Arch."

"Betty-"

"Not _now."_ Betty hissed, taking the lead for once, looping her arm through Veronica's. "I really don't need another lecture, Archie, and I really don't want to. Come on, V."

Veronica grasped Cheryl's hand, pulling her along behind them.

Archie's eyes bored holes into her back.

"What's gotten into her?" Chuck asked, clearly intrigued.

"I don't know." Archie mumbled.

But he was going to find out.


	35. Chapter 35

"Hey!" She whined, as he snatched the notebook from her hand. "Give that back!"

He smirked, holding it above his head, well out of her reach.

"Jug!" Betty made a grab for the pad of paper, but he was too tall. "Jug, come on! I need to-"

"You're not writing another article about the Bull Dogs, Cooper." Jughead told her, ripping the page from the metal rings.

He crumpled the paper in his fist, not looking back as he tossed it towards the nearest trash can.

"Jughead!"

"I'm trying to help you." He said, blocking her path. "Betts, you know I love your writing, I'm your biggest fan, your article about Jason Blossom was brilliant, but the _last_ thing Riverdale's student body is what _moisturizer_ Cheryl uses before bed."

Betty smiled at him, glee secretly filling her. "You love my writing?"

"I think you're losing sight of the problem, Betts." Jughead replied, his frown disapproving.

"You're my biggest fan?" She teased.

His nostrils flared. "Would you focus please?"

"You thought my article was _brilliant?"_

"Betts." His lips twitched as a grin threatened to escape. "Shut up."

"Make me."

"Okay." Jughead let her notebook fall onto the desk, taking a menacing step towards her, arms outstretched.

"Juggie!" Betty squealed, her hands coming into contact with his muscular chest, trying to push him away, but he didn't budge an inch. "Don't you dare."

He tilted his head innocently at her. "What, Betts?"

"You _know_ what."

"Do I?"

"Jughead..."

"Um, guys." Toni drew out, not looking up from her laptop. "I'm still here."

Jughead quickly dropped his predatory stance, reaching out to adjust his beanie while Betty grabbed her notebook, tapping her pen against the blank page in a nervous rhythm.

"Cheryl practically begged me to-"

"I'm doing you a favor, Cooper." He promised. "What happened to the girl who went dumpster diving for answers? Where's the girl who led our entire Math class on a protest when we all failed that Math test?"

"In junior high, I guess."

He frowned at her answer.

Junior high was where she had left her investigative skills behind, until recently. It was where she had lost the fragments that had once made her Betty Cooper.

It was where she lad left her friendship with Jughead behind.

"C'mon, Betts." Jughead was almost pleading now. "You can write something so much more interesting."

She eyed him warily. "Like what?"

"Well..."

A few moments of awkward silence fell between them.

"Um..."

"Not so easy, is it?"

He pinched her waist. "Watch it, Betts."

She giggled in response.

"Maybe you're overthinking it." Toni suggested, closing her laptop. "Take a break. An idea will come to you."

Betty decided to take her advice, tossing her notebook down and hoping up to sit on the desk. Jughead leaned against the wall across from her, his arms crossed, their gazes locked.

"Juggie-"

"Betts, I will tear out every single page until there's nothing left if you try to write that article."

She huffed. "Fine."

A smirk graced his lips, almost no smugness behind it now. She grinned back at him.

Even with time, and distance, so much distance, little had changed between the pair, and for that, she was grateful.

Toni surveyed them, a small smile on her face. "How long have you known each other?"

"Oh wow." Betty muttered, surprised by the question. It felt like forever. "Um..."

"Since we were four." Jughead answered, without hesitation.

"Oh _really?"_ She asked, an evil glint in her eyes.

"Toni..." He began, as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Toni?" Betty echoed.

"If you've known him since you were four..." Toni trailed off, pausing for dramatic effect. "Then you would what his _real_ name is."

Jughead glowered at her.

Betty stifled a laugh, and his glare became fixated on her.

"She doesn't know?"

"Just drop it, Betts."

Betty turned her attention to the female Serpent. "You really don't know?"

She shook her head. "He won't tell us. Do you know what it is?"

"You bet I do."

 _"Betts."_

Toni's smile grew. "Will you tell me?"

"You bet I will."

 _"Elizabeth Cooper."_ Jughead warned, taking a step towards her. "Don't you dare."

"Tell me, Blondie." Toni urged. "Come on, I've been _dying_ to know!"

Betty snuck a glance at Jughead.

His eyes were narrowed, though there were still traces of amusement laced through his features. She knew the consequences of uttering his true name, a name he had never allowed anyone to call him by, but she was having too much fun.

Toni was right.

Maybe she did need a distraction.

"Blondie?"

"Betty..."

"Sorry Juggie!" She sang, but she didn't sound it. "Toni, Jughead's _real_ name is- _Mmmph!"_

A hand smacked over her mouth before she could finish her sentence.

Jughead was quick to pull her from the desk, pressing her back into his chest as he retrieved both his backpack and her own from the floor. Carefully, he began to walk towards the door, still facing Toni. Betty wondered what expression his face mimicked, perhaps amusement, perhaps irritation, maybe a little of both.

"Where are you taking her?" Toni demanded.

"A place no one will hear her scream." He replied.

Betty froze for a moment, only relaxing when she heard him chuckle under his breath.

"Relax, Betts." He muttered, his lips close to her ear. "You know I would never hurt you. I'm just not gonna let you out of my sight until you swear never to utter the _F_ word again."

The thought secretly thrilled her.

Where would he take her?

What was he going to _do_ with her?

Finally breaking his backwards stride, Jughead tugged her out into the hallway, his palm still pressed firmly against her lips. It was only when they were well out of earshot did he stop walking.

"If I take my hand off your mouth, do you promise not to say it?"

She nodded, grateful that he couldn't see her face.

"Okay..." He drew out, his hand slowly falling away.

Betty turned to face him, a smirk gracing her lips as she darted forward. "Toni! Toni! Jughead's real name is-"

His fingers locked around her wrist, yanking her back. Looping an arm around her waist, her feet left the ground as he began to drag her towards the parking lot.

"How could you not tell them?" Betty asked, in between giggles.

 _"No_ one calls me by that name." Jughead hissed, his grip tightening against her middle. "You and Archie knowing it is an unfortunate coincidence that I wish I could remedy."

"For-"

"Say it again, Betts, I fucking dare you."

"I'm gonna tell her." She threatened.

"No, you're not."

They were nearing the exit now, he shouldered the door open, pulling her along behind him.

"Are you gonna let me go?"

"Are you going to run and tell Toni my real name if I do?" He retorted.

"No."

Jughead frowned, knowing her all too. "Betty."

"Probably." She admitted, reluctance dripping from her tone.

"Then no." He grumbled. "I told you, Betts, you're not leaving my sight."

A chill ran down her spine at his words.

She never _wanted_ to be far from his sight, those gorgeous blue irises watching her every move, his strong, well defined arms enclosing around her, protecting her, though from what, she had no idea.

"You can't watch me-"

"Don't underestimate me, Cooper." Jughead mockingly threatened.

The sound of an engine's roar cut off her reply, followed by two others. Jughead stiffened, suddenly whirling around to face her, his eyes wide, his jaw tight.

"Go back inside." He hissed.

"W-What?" Betty stuttered, fear prickling her skin. Goosebumps covered her arms. "Juggie..."

 _"Go."_ Jughead snapped, pushing her away from him. "Go. Find Toni. Don't leave the office."

"Jughead-"

 _"Go_ , Betty."

Another push, firm enough to send her stumbling backwards, finally made her listen to him. She spun on her heel, taking off back towards the Blue and Gold. She met Toni just as the girl was about to step into the hall, her bag slung across one shoulder.

"Blondie?" She questioned, arching an eye brow. "What's up?"

"J-Jughead." Betty panted. "He... He told me to find you... To... Not leave the office."

An unreadable expression crossed the Serpent's face.

She swore under her breath.

"What?" Betty demanded. "What is it? What's going on?"

"Nothing." Toni said. She grasped Betty's arm, pushing her back towards the office. "Look... Just stay here, okay?"

"Toni-"

"Just _do_ it, Blondie!" The girl snapped, wrenching her keys from her hand.

When Jughead had dragged her out the first time, she hadn't even realized that she'd neglected to lock the door. Her micro distraction was all the time Toni needed to shove her inside, the door slamming shut behind her.

Riverdale High was out of date, too old fashioned in the fact that doors could only be locked from the outside, not the inside. When the familiar clicking sound, as rushed as it was, echoed off the thin walls, and the knob wouldn't turn, she smacked her palms against the wood in frustration, tears filling her eyes for reasons even she didn't understand.

What the hell was going on?


	36. Chapter 36

It was not unusual to find him at Pop's after practice, his Varsity jacket proudly displayed on his shoulders. The only thing uncommon was the company currently seated across from him.

In the place of his blonde haired best friend was the girl he'd befriended his first day as a freshman. He'd tagged along when Betty had been assigned to give her a tour, eager to learn everything he could about Riverdale's newest coed.

At fourteen, he had been transfixed by her, and now, only three months shy of his eighteenth birthday, he still was.

Not that he would ever admit that out loud, of course.

It was strange to be there with her, he couldn't remember the last time they had been alone. Usually, Betty was at his side, Reggie somewhere in the background, glaring daggers at him any time he so much glanced at his pal's ex-girlfriend.

"Archiekins..." She began.

"Yeah Ronnie?"

"About Reggie's eye..."

Archie fixated his gaze on the raven haired girl, no longer fearing Reggie's wrath. "What's going on with Betty? Why the hell would she punch him?"

"I don't know what's going on with her." Veronica admitted. "She's been spending a lot of that Serpent girl, Toni-"

"Has she been with Jughead?"

"I don't know."

He sighed, raking a hand through his copper locks. It was her life, she could do whatever she wanted, she _did_ do whatever she wanted, but the Serpents were dangerous, everyone knew the rumors, and that only intensified his desire to protect the girl next door.

"Why did she punch Reggie?"

"She was defending me." Veronica muttered, her eyes glued to the table.

"Ronnie?"

"Reggie's an ass."

He could have laughed. "Tell me something I don't know. What happened?"

"He told me he loved me."

Archie raised an eye brow, suddenly wondering if he should be concerned for his best friend's mental state. "Um... What?"

"He told me he loved me." Veronica repeated, a single tear sliding down her cheek. "He said he loved me, and then he kissed some sophomore slut right in front of me."

His jaw tightened.

"Ronnie..."

"Betty punched him because he called me a bitch."

For a moment, Archie forgot the situation, relief flooding through him. _That_ was the Betty Cooper he knew and loved, the girl who defended her friends.

A sniffle broke him from his thoughts.

"Ronnie." He said again. He stood up, moving to sit beside her, his arm resting against the back of the booth. "Hey, Ronnie, don't cry. He's not worth it."

"I believed him." She whispered.

He wanted nothing more than to bash Reggie's face in for hurting her, but Betty had already beaten him to it.

Reggie was the dumbest boy he knew.

Any guy would be lucky to have Veronica Lodge.

"He's an idiot, Ronnie." Archie told her. "He doesn't deserve you, he never did."

Veronica's head fell against his shoulder, filling his nostrils with the scent of her Chanel No. 5 perfume. He brought a hand up, brushing dark curls away from her face.

"Archie..."

"Veronica, listen to me."

She peered up at him, devastation still etched across her features.

He would have done anything in his power for her to never look, or feel like that again.

"You're gonna find someone someday." He promised, his arm falling comfortably around her shoulders. "Someone who knows what it means to have you when they have you, somebody who laughs at your favorite joke even when you've told it a thousand times, someone who memorizes the words to your favorite songs so they can sing them along with you, someone who will remember your birthday, and lets you pick the movie three times in a row just because it makes you smile..."

Archie trailed off quickly, the realization of what he had just said slowly coming back to him.

"Someone like _you_?" Veronica asked.

And then, he was leaning towards her.


	37. Chapter 37

She was too lost in her thoughts to hear the sound of a key turning in the lock. As the door was pulled open, she went tumbling forward.

Familiar arms wrapped around her waist before she could make contact with the polished tile.

"Shit." He muttered. "You okay, Betts?"

Something came over her; she didn't know if it was the irritation of being locked in a room, or the annoyance that she felt as if she were not in on another secret, but she snapped. Ignoring the pain of her bruised knuckle, she pushed against his chest with both hands, barely moving him an inch.

"Betts...' Jughead began.

She shoved him again, harder this time.

"Betty!" He snarled, catching hold of her wrists. "Stop it!"

"What the hell was that, Jug?" Betty demanded, trying and failing to free herself from his grasp. "What the hell is going on?"

Jughead didn't answer, pulling her out into the hallway without much effort on his part, locking the door the second she was standing beside him.

He began a face paced stride, yanking her along behind him.

"Jug!" Betty dragged her feet, attempting to do anything to slow him down. "Jughead! What the hell is going on? Talk to me! Please!"

"I can't." He responded, his tone strained.

"Juggie-"

"Betts, I _can't."_ He hissed, whirling around to face her. "I fucking can't!"

It wasn't the language that shocked her. No, it was the welt currently swelling above his left eye. She gasped, trying to reach for him, but his grip on her wrist tightened instinctively, holding her arm in place at her side.

Jughead searched her face, concern and surprise slowly melting the anger away.

"Betts." He mumbled, pronouncing the name only he could use carefully. "Are you... Crying?"

If she'd noticed her tear stained cheeks before, her rage had been a welcome distraction.

Suddenly, he was beside her, brushing the salty droplets away with the calloused pad of his thumb.

"Betty." Jughead whispered. It almost sounded like he was pleading with her. "Why are you crying? Please don't cry."

"I…" She shook her head, her pony tail bobbing. "Juggie..."

"What is it, Betts?"

"I..."

 _"Betty."_

"I'm scared." Betty finally admitted, a fresh pool of tears filling her eyes. She hadn't realized the words were true until they had left her mouth. "I'm scared, Juggie."

It was his abruptness, his refusal to let her into his world that terrified her more than anything.

Something flashed across his features, a look she couldn't quite place, and then he was tugging her towards him, crushing her to his chest.

"Please." Jughead said, his tone deep. "Don't be afraid. Not of me."

She didn't respond.

"Betts, please." He begged. "I know this is asking a lot, I know I've given you no reason to trust me, but I need you to come with me. Please."

She managed to twist herself slightly to peer up at him. Go with him? Where?

"Juggie..."

"I need to keep you safe." He hissed, his teeth clenched. "Let me keep you safe."

"Jug, I don't understand-"

"You said you trusted me." Jughead reminded her. "Did you mean it?"

"Yes." Betty answered, without hesitation.

"I need you to trust me now." He said. "Come with me."

She looped her arms his torso in response. She would have followed him anywhere, this she knew.

Jughead didn't speak as he started a fast-paced stride down the hallway, anchoring her to him. As they neared the parking lot, he scanned the empty street, his grip tightening. His shifted, almost as if he was trying to hide her from view.

"We've gotta go." His voice was low. "C'mon."

He pulled her towards his bike, only releasing her to throw his leg over the side, straddling the contraption.

"A motorcycle?" Betty demanded.

Jughead handed her his helmet, his hands lingering over hers for a second longer than needed.

"Trust me, Betts."

Trembling now, she pulled the helmet over her head, allowing him to settle her onto the seat beside him.

She trusted him. She would always trust him.

"Hold on tight." Jughead ordered.

She grasped his shoulders.

He chuckled, despite the situation, winding her arms around his torso for a second time. The engine roared to lift, and then, they were racing out of the parking lot.


	38. Chapter 38

As they raced through the streets of Riverdale, one single thought plagued him.

How could he possibly explain any of this to her?

He knew Betty, probably better than anyone did, even Archie. Despite her initial trust in him that had made her leave with him, she still had questions, a million questions that would be shot at him the moment he parked his bike.

The only thing he could tell her was that he was keeping her safe.

Jughead had been planning on taking her with him anyway, refusing to let her leave his sight, at least until Toni's shift at the bar started, though just as he'd pulled her outside, the familiar roar of the Ghoulie's motorcycle had filled his ears, sending his protective instincts into overdrive.

He hadn't been fast enough forcing her back inside.

It had been the prick's comment about Betty that made him throw the first punch, receiving an immediate one in response, a dumb move when he was without backup, but _no one_ talked about his girl like that.

Not that she belonged to him, or anything,

Betty's grip around his midsection tightened as he veered right, heading straight towards his own entrance of Sweet Water River.

He mentally cursed himself.

 _You had to bring her to the place where her friend was found dead?_

He couldn't take her home, not for a few hours, not until he was sure that they hadn't been followed. He wouldn't let them know where she lived, he wouldn't let anyone come near her, especially not the Serpent's biggest enemy.

He would never let anyone hurt her.

Toni had arrived just in time to break up the impending fight, the Ghoulie's taking off on their bikes. They had only exchanged a few words, Toni admitted to locking Betty into the Blue and Gold office for her own protection, pressing the familiar set of keys into his palm before taking off to alert the others at the Whyte Wyrm.

He needed to stay hidden.

He needed to protect the girl currently seated behind him, clinging to him for dear life.

Jughead killed the engine, standing to steady the bike so she could hesitantly dismount, her legs shaking. The moment his own feet touched the ground, she shoved the helmet towards his chest, both hands trembling.

"Betty." He warned, his irritation getting the better of him.

She didn't respond, too busy taking in their surroundings. A strange look crossed her face, her eyes widening as she pressed a quivering palm to her lips.

"Betty?" He questioned, worry now lacing his tone. "Betts, hey, what's wrong?"

Betty was no longer with him.

She took a step forward, and his brows furrowed in confusion as she began to mumble incoherent nothings under her breath.

"No." She whispered. "I didn't... I didn't... I didn't!"

"Betty!" Jughead snapped.

He reached for her, but she was too quick, his hand only grabbing at air as she pivoted away from him. The dance repeated itself several times, Betty wrenching from his grasp any time he strode towards her.

"Betts."

"No!" Betty cried, lunging suddenly. "Stop! I didn't want it!"

Her words sent a chill down his spine, his aggravation only growing as she began to near the edge of the path, only several hundred yards away from where he'd been forced to leave her the night of the accident, in the grassy embankment.

The moment her back was turned, he caught her around the waist, his grasp like iron chains against her midsection. Betty squirmed, but he didn't relent, not even when her elbow made contact with his ribcage.

With a grunt, he pulled her away from the ledge, using all his strength to stop her from struggling. He swung her around, fingers locking around her wrists.

"Betty."

"Juggie!" She rasped, gripping the lapels of his Serpent's jacket. "I need Jughead!"

How long had he wanted to hear her say that.

"I'm right here." He promised, anchoring her to him. "I'm right here, Betts, I'm always right here. Open your eyes."

 _Come back to me._

Instead of complying, she slumped forward, his arms the only things keeping her from falling. He held her easily, sinking to his knees, her head falling heavily against his shoulder.

"I need you, Juggie." She whispered.


	39. Chapter 39

A single thought plagued him as he drove through the streets of Riverdale.

 _How could I be so stupid?_

He had kissed Veronica.

He'd actually made out with his pal's, no matter how much of a dick Reggie could be, they were still friends, ex-girlfriend, the best friend of his own best friend, his friend.

He had kissed Veronica Lodge, while she was still mourning for a guy that would never deserve her, while he was still in somewhat of a relationship.

When they'd finally broken apart for air, the raven haired girl's eyes had widened, and she had blurted out a stumbled apology, even though she had nothing to be sorry for.

It was his fault.

He had initiated the contact.

And he still had no reason, no explanation as to why he'd kissed her in the first place.

Parking the car a safe distance, he let the door fall open and slam shut behind him, his pace quickening as he walked the three blocks to her house.

He needed to see her.

Whether he was going to admit to his most recent lip-lock remained to be seen.

What was he supposed to say? He and Grundy weren't in a relationship, at least, not the type of relationship he had pictured himself having when he was younger.

He couldn't even bring himself to call her by her first name.

He tried to force himself to think about the older woman, every teenage boy's fantasy, he supposed, but only one girl came to mind.

A girl he could never have.

A girl, that up until that very moment, he hadn't even realized he wanted.

Archie was surprised to find that her own car was no parked across the street from her house, nor was the porch light on.

He banged on the door, once, twice, three times, but there was no answer.

"Ms. Grundy?" He called.

Again, nothing.

A pit settled in his stomach.

Archie rushed towards the nearest window, peering inside. The house was completely empty.

Ms. Grundy was gone.

And he knew exactly who was to blame.


	40. Chapter 40

The first thing she was aware of was a chill.

However, unlike her previous fall, her head was not aching. She wasn't numb, but rather, she was very aware of the arms wrapped around her, cradling her to a muscular chest. Something heavy had been draped across her shoulders, the strong scent of leather, smoke and aftershave filling her nostrils.

Jughead's Serpent jacket.

Betty gasped, her eyes flying open. She tried to sit up, though his grip tightened instinctively, preventing her from moving too quickly.

"Juggie." She whispered.

"Betts." He answered immediately, his fingers brushing across her cheek. The contact surprised her. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know." Betty admitted. "What happened?"

"You spaced out on me." Jughead replied, knowing her. Too well. "You need sleep, Cooper, this isn't good for you."

"How did you-"

"I know you better than you think I do, Betts."

Maybe it was the truth, maybe it was possible that Jughead Jones knew her better than she even knew herself.

It suddenly dawned on her that she was lying across his lap, his arms still like iron chains around her middle, stopping her from budging an inch, but there was no awkwardness to the embrace, his hand making comforting circles against her back as he tried to coax an answer out of her.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"I don't know." She echoed. "I haven't been-"

"You don't have to keep defending yourself to me." Jughead told her. "I know, Betts, I know who you are. I trust you."

His words made her heart soar.

"There's something wrong with me." Betty whispered.

She was abruptly lifted, Jughead spinning her to face him with almost no effort on his part, her legs now straddling his hips. One hand gripped her waist, the other moving to push her hair from her face before coming to hold her chin firmly in place.

"Betty." He pronounced carefully. _"Nothing_ is wrong with you."

* * *

How could she possibly, even for a second, ever think that the problem was her?

His jaw clenched at the idea.

Jughead's squeezed her waist unintentionally, making her squirm under his grasp. He should have let her go the moment she woke from her haze, but he couldn't. He needed to be close to her, to hold her and not let go. Ever.

"Betts." He said. "Look at me."

Her gaze reluctantly met his own.

"Nothing is wrong with you." Jughead insisted, pressing his palm to her cheek.

Betty's arms locked around his neck in response, burying her face into the crook of his neck. His grip against her back tightened.

His heart nearly shattered when he heard her sniffle.

"Betty." He muttered.

He had to tell her.

It was his fault she was suffering, he should have told her the moment it happened, he'd tried, but Archie, along with Betty's own stubborn nature and unwillingness to acknowledge the traumatic event had stopped him from doing so.

He couldn't keep it from her anymore.

"Betts." Jughead began. "There's something I need to tell you."

She made no moves to look at him, though her head turned slightly, and he knew she was listening.

"There was a party sophomore year. Do you remember it?"

Betty inhaled sharply.

"Betts..."

He remembered everything.

He remembered her name flashing across the screen, staring down at his ancient phone in confusion, surely she hadn't meant to call _him_ , they hadn't spoken in months.

He'd greeted her coldly, he'd had every right to, it wasn't like they were friends anymore, she had picked Archie and being a River Vixen, and popularity over him.

He remembered the way her voice had trembled, her own nickname for him slipping from her lips.

He remembered _everything._

* * *

 **Two Years Ago**

* * *

"Jughead Jones!" Toni called, fingers locking around his wrist as she thrust his arm above his head. "Our champion remains undefeated!"

He chuckled, clapping her on the back, his touch lighter than it would have been with Sweet Pea, or Fangs or another male Serpent. Toni might have been the toughest girl he'd ever met, but she was still female, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

"Son of a bitch." Sweet Pea quipped, a smirk on his face.

He was drunk, they all were, with the exception of a certain beanie wearing boy. It was his night to remain sober, to ensure that his friends didn't do anything stupid or reckless. They were Serpents, it was a high possibility that some potentially dangerous situation could occur.

"How did you get so good?" Fangs slurred.

He shrugged in response.

There was an old pool table in Archie Andrews's basement. It was where he had spent the majority of his childhood, playing a few rounds in between their hours of video games, Betty on the couch beside him, her nose always buried in a book. Archie had never let her play, claiming she wasn't coordinated enough, and while that was true, Jughead had always had a soft spot for the golden haired girl next door, offering to teach her time and time again.

Jughead frowned at the thought of his former friends, the two people he had once considered to be his family. They were still at Riverdale High, probably still popular, probably enjoying their picture perfect lives.

As much as he wanted to, he couldn't resent either one of them for that.

"Pigs will fly the day someone beats Jughead at pool." Toni mused.

Jughead grinned down at her.

And then, his phone began to buzz.

He pulled it from his back pocket, glancing down at the cracked surface. It had been dropped many times in his haste to get away when business went south, but he could read the name currently flashing across the broken screen as clear as day.

And he couldn't believe who was calling him.

 _Betts._

It had to be some sort of mistake, a pocket dial, a prank call.

And yet, despite the wariness, despite the knowledge that they were no longer involved in one another's lives; she belonged to the River Vixen's, he belonged to the Southside, he still found himself accepting the call, pressing the phone to his ear.

"I thought you would have lost my number by now, Cooper." He said in greeting.

There was a momentary pause.

"Betty?" Jughead questioned, irritation laced through his tone. Why had she called?

His jaw tightened when he heard her sniffle.

"J-Juggie." She whispered, her nickname for him easily falling from her lips.

His annoyance quickly turned to concern at the sound of her voice.

"Betts?" He demanded. "Are you okay?"

"Juggie." Betty repeated.

"I'm right here." Jughead promised. He yanked on his leather jacket, ignoring his friends confused looks as he tore out of the bar. "What's going on?"

"Juggie." She sniffled again. "I... I need you."

* * *

"Juggie."

Her voice snapped him back to reality.

Betty was struggling against him, and even though the last thing he wanted to do was let her go, he relented, rising to his feet, pulling her up with him.

He hadn't meant to get so lost in thought.

He wanted to tell her what happened, he needed to tell her. It wasn't right that the information had been kept from her for so long, especially when she was at the center of the secret, and if her memories were really starting to resurface...

"Betty..." He began.

"What is _that?"_ She demanded, breaking free from his grasp.

Her gaze was directed over his shoulder, and it only took him a moment to spot it too. A dark, square object, just barely visible by the stars beginning to appear above their heads. Instinctively, Jughead extended his arm in an attempt to half her, but she had already moved forward to retrieve it.

He raked a hand through his hair in frustration.

How could he protect her when she was so determined to go digging where she didn't belong?

"Betts." He warned. "Let's go."

She ignored him.

 _"Betty."_ Jughead started after her. "Come on."

"Juggie." She whispered, whirling around to face him, the object gripped so firmly in her hand that her knuckles turned white.

"Betts?" He questioned, wondering if he should feel concerned, or alarmed.

It was a phone she was holding, a newer, probably very expensive model that put both of their own phones to shame.  
What was it _doing_ there?

He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.

"Betty, maybe we should-"

"Juggie." She said again, taking a step towards him.

Out of habit, he reached for her, his arm curling around her waist, anchoring her to him, protecting her the only way he could.

"This is Jason's phone."


	41. Chapter 41

"What?" He demanded.

He stared at her for a moment, as if she had suddenly grown two heads, his eyes narrowing as he moved to take the phone from her hand.

She stepped away.

"Betts." Jughead grumbled.

Did she really think he was going to let her get herself into another dangerous situation.

"What's your problem?" Betty asked, her tone laced with irritation. "Didn't you hear me, Jug? This is _Jason's_ phone!"

"You don't know that, Cooper." He argued.

"Yes I do!" She insisted, gripping the device a little tighter, like she knew he was going to try and take it from her again.

"It's bigger and better than anything either one of us could ever hope to have. Typical Blossom behavior, getting their kids the best money can buy."

He wanted to chuckle at her words. Instead, he caught hold of her wrist, trying to pull her towards him.

"Juggie." She whined.

"Give me the phone, Betts."

She glared at him. "No way!"

"Betty-"

"Why?"

"Damn it, Betts!" He was beginning to lose his temper. "Just give me the phone-"

"Give me one good reason." Betty shot back.

He glared at her in exasperation.

"You know I can't." Jughead hissed through gritted teeth.

"Juggie..."

Betty slipped her arm from his grasp, taking another step back.

"What are you trying to protect me from?" She seethed.

 _Everything!_ He wanted to scream.

The only way Betty could ever be completely safe was if he stayed away from her, if he pretended that she didn't exist, if he pretended that they had never been friends at all, but he could never bring himself to do that. Betty Cooper was the most important person in the world to him. He'd be damned if he lived another day without her.

"I don't want you involved in my shit, Betts." Jughead said. "I won't let you go down the rabbit hole with me."

Betty glowered at him. "That's not your choice to make."

Had she just admitted that she was willing to throw caution to the wind and become involved in his world of secrecy and constant danger?

"And what does any of this have to do with Jason?"

He watched in alarm as a knowing look crossed her face.

"Jug." She pronounced carefully. "Were you... Did you _see_..."

Jughead took another step towards her, gratitude filling his every being when she didn't try to run away. She really did trust him.

"The body Toni was talking about that night..." Betty shuddered. "It was J-Jason's... Wasn't it?"

He grabbed her before she could collapse again, her head cradled against his shoulder.

He couldn't tell her if she was right or not, no matter how badly he wanted to.

"Do you trust me?" Jughead demanded.

He received a timid nod in response.

"Betts."

"I trust you." She whispered.

"Thank you." He muttered, resting his chin against the top of her golden curls. "Betts, I know this is a lot to ask, but I need you to trust me, I need you to understand that there are things I can't tell you, not because I don't want to, but because I want to keep you safe."

"Juggie..."

"Please." He would beg if he had to. "Let me keep you safe. Let me protect you."

Her arms slipped around his torso.

"Okay." Betty said.

He had never heard anything so satisfying.

"Okay?" Jughead echoed, needing to hear it again.

"Okay." She confirmed quietly. "Protect me, Juggie, but don't think that I won't be curious."

He could live with that, so long as she didn't go all Nancy Drew without him there by her side.

Carefully, Jughead plucked the phone from her hand.

"Hey!"

"Protection." He reminded her, with a grin, holding the device well out of her reach.

"Jug-"

"No, Betts."

A playful look flashed in her eyes, despite the fact that they had just discovered the phone of her recently deceased friend. She tried to grab it again, but he ducked away, his expression mirroring her own.

"Juggie!"

He smirked in response.

Betty jumped suddenly, trying to pry the phone from his grasp, losing her balance when he moved away again. He was quick to catch her, though his feet slid out from underneath him, sending the pair rolling down the hill.

Jughead tried to take the brunt of the impact as they finally came to a halt, his boots digging into the soft ground. Betty was on top of him, her hands pressed to his shoulders while he gripped at her waist, her thighs straddling his hips.

And then, the most amazing thing happened.

She giggled.

He was so happy to hear her laugh, he couldn't explain why, the sound just warmed him to the core, and he poked her waist with a quick finger, hoping to make it happen again.

He was not disappointed.

They stayed that way for what felt like hours. Eventually, her arms began to weaken from supporting her weight, and he quickly rolled onto his side, settling her into the grass beside him.

Betty shivered slightly, and he pulled her close, shrugging out of his Serpents jacket to wrap it around her shaking form, smoothing his hand across the crumpled leather.

She leaned towards him without hesitation, her head resting heavily against his shoulder.

Jughead let his arm slip across her back. A comfortable silence fell between them, though she was quick to break it, hesitantly meeting his intrigued gaze.

"Juggie?"

His voice unintentionally cracked.

"Yeah?"

"I..."

"Betts?" He questioned.

"I miss you." Betty mumbled, turning to hide her face into the crook of his neck.

Jughead chuckled sadly.

"I miss you too." He admitted, his grip tightening instinctively. "So fucking much, Betts."


	42. Chapter 42

He was lying in wait.

Neither of the two women who resided in the house next door were home, not a big surprise when it came to Betty's mother. Since they had entered high school, she often worked late, leaving her young daughter to fend for herself.

Sometimes, she could come over, they would do their homework together, eat dinner with his dad, and then spend the rest of the night playing video games.

It felt like forever since they had spent any time along together.

There was a distance between them that was only growing with each passing day. Either he did something to upset her, or she went behind his back to get rid of his...

He still didn't know what to call Grundy.

He'd begged Betty to stay out of it. Of course she hadn't listened.

Best friends weren't supposed to do things like this to one another.

He was trying to remain calm, to give her the benefit of the doubt, but with every passing moment that she had not returned, it was getting harder for him to maintain any sort of calm, cool and collected demeanor.

The familiar roar of a motorcycle echoed through the usually quiet streets of Riverdale.

Archie's eyes narrowed as the bike came to a stop, the girl next door perched on the back, a helmet covering her golden pony tail, her arms wrapped tightly around the torso of his former best friend.

"Betty!" He called, irritation lacing his tone. "What the hell are you doing?"

She noticeably stiffened, carefully dismounting. Jughead stood too, placing a hand on her shoulder. His brow furrowed at the contact.

What the hell was going on?

"Ms. Grundy is gone." He hissed, not bothering to wait for her answer. "What did you do, Betty? What the hell did you do?"

"Arch." Jughead warned, moving to stand between them.

"Stay out of this, Jug."

"Betty didn't get rid of Grundy." He said.

Archie stared at him. "Jug..."

"It was me."

No.

He couldn't believe that.

Jughead didn't care enough about him to make such a life altering decision on his behalf. Betty, however...

"I made her leave town." Jughead continued, shifting to block Archie's view of his best friend. "And I would do it again."

"Juggie-"

"Betts." He didn't look at her. "Shut up."

"Don't talk to her like that." Archie snapped, unable to stop himself from rushing to her defense.

"This is between you and me, Arch."

"Jughead-"

"Jug." Betty echoed, reaching for his arm.

 _"Betty."_ He hissed. "Shut up."

"Jughead-"

"She had nothing to do with it."

Archie scoffed. "Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"Yes." Jughead deadpanned.

He stared at the two in disbelief. How could they possibly be on the same side? Betty was his best friend, not Jughead's.

"Archie..." Betty began, nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "It was for your own good."

"Betts."

"Bull shit!" He snapped.

"Archie..."

"It was none of your business." Archie barked, his hand curling into a fist. Betty mimicked the gesture. "Jug, maybe you did the dirty work, but we both know who you really did it for. I told you to leave her alone."

"Arch." She scolded.

"And I told you to stay out of it." He seethed. "Jesus, Betty, do you even realize just how much you've screwed up my life?"

"Arch." Jughead warned.

"No!" His tone made Betty shrink back, slowly retreating to hide behind the Serpent. "You know what, B? Stay the hell away from me. Both of you."

Archie stormed inside, not sparing either of them a second glance.


	43. Chapter 43

"What's going on between you and Archie?" Veronica probed, linking their arms as they moved down the hallway.

Betty had been avoiding her circle of her friends all morning.

Reggie had yet to confront her about their altercation, she was still waiting for that, his eye had only begun to heel, as had the bruises decorating her knuckles. She and Archie still weren't speaking, not that she was surprised. She hoped that the only thing he really needed was space.

And she was trying to give him just that.

She let her shoulders drop in a shrug.

"B." Veronica scolded. "Talk to me."

What was she supposed to say?

 _I got rid of Archie's cougar girlfriend and how he hates me for it?  
_

She couldn't tell anyone the truth, she wouldn't. She could never do that to Archie, no matter what happened between the two.

"B?"

"He's mad at me." She replied.

"I can _see_ that." Veronica teased, mockingly shaking her head from side to side. "What happened, B? You two never fight."

That was true; before the previous events, she and Archie had never had so much as a mock argument. It was Archie and Jughead who were prone to verbal spats, words they would laugh about seconds later.

"Betty?"

"V, it's really-"

 _"Betty."_

"Arch doesn't like that I've been spending time with Jughead again." Betty disclosed, knowing Archie well enough to know that her renewed, _whatever_ she and their once shared best friend were doing, she had no idea what to call it, even after she had admitted to missing him, contact with Jughead had gotten on his nerves, though his anger towards the Grundy situation masked it greatly.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Can I..." Veronica drew out. "Can I ask why you are? Hanging out with him, I mean."

She sighed.

None of her so called 'friends', including Veronica, including Archie, would ever be able to understand what Jughead meant to her.

She wasn't sure if she understood it herself, but he was part of her life, the childhood best friend that would always have a piece of her heart, engraved within it, and she was slowly coming to the realization that Jughead was the only person she could trust completely.

It made no sense.

He lied to her, hid things from her, ordered her around on occasion, and while that should have made her angry, while that should have pushed her even further away from him, it hadn't. Instead, it only peaked her curiosity.

His want, his need to protect her, to shield her, only made her trust him more, and it made absolutely no sense, but that was Jughead. He didn't have to make sense, not for her.

"B?"

"I care about him, V." She admitted, after a moment. "And if you're really my friend, then you would understand that."

Betty pulled free from her grasp, adjusting the weight of her back pack against her shoulder.

"B!" Veronica called after her.

She paused.

"I'm on your side." She muttered.

Betty shot her a small smile.

They were best friends, no matter what.

"Thanks V."

Betty continued down the hallway on her own, smiling at those who greeted her. She was one of the most popular girls in Riverdale High's senior class, everyone knew her name, even when she wished they didn't. Popularity, everyone thinking they knew everything about you, it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Fingers suddenly locked around her wrist as she turned the corner, pulling her back against the plastered wall. For a moment, she feared it was Reggie, or Chuck, but the hand was too soft, too small to be either one of theirs.

She turned to meet Toni's gaze.

"Hey." She greeted hesitantly, surprised to find that the female Serpent was not alone, Fangs and Sweet Pea flanking her, towering over her. "Um... What's up?"

"Blondie, this is Fangs." Toni announced, ignoring her question. "And this is Sweet Pea."

Betty smiled shyly in response, unsure of what, exactly, either one of the boys knew about her. She still didn't know what Jughead had told Toni, let alone the rest of his friends.

Fangs tilted his chin upwards in a nod, while Sweet Pea smirked, eerily mimicking Jughead as his smug eyes appraised her.

"Hey Blondie." He said, using Toni's newfound nickname for her. "Good to see you conscious."

His gaze landed on the scar against her temple.

Betty frowned. "Sorry about your _lucky_ bandana."

His eyes narrowed as Fangs and Toni burst out laughing.

"You owe me a new one, Princess."

"Sure, sure." She agreed, returning her attention to Toni. "What's with the kidnapping?"

Sweet Pea's conceited expression was back in place. "We heard that you are the only one around here who knows what Jones's _real_ name is."

A blush rose to her cheeks.

She had almost forgotten her promise to Toni to finally reveal the dreaded, in Jughead's case anyway, _F_ word. He was nowhere to be found, and this time, there was nothing he could do to stop her.

"Blondie?"

A grin graced her glossy pink lips. "Jughead's real name is-"

A familiar hand smacked over her mouth, cutting her off completely. Her back made contact with a muscular chest, his free arm slipping around her waist, further anchoring her to him.

"Nice try." Jughead teased, shooting his three friends a dark look. "I'll deal with you later. C'mon, Cooper, you're coming with me."

Without another word, he caught hold of her wrist, yanking her along behind him.

"I'll tell them eventually." She threatened.

Jughead turned to face her, a playful, and yet also somehow dangerous glint in his eye.

Suddenly, he was backing her into the wall, caging his arms on either side of her. He pressed his forehead against her own, his smirk appearing in an instant.

"Don't you dare."

Feeling brave, she smiled back at him cheekily. "What are you gonna do to me, Juggie?"

"Just wait till I get you alone, Betts."


	44. Chapter 44

He found her passed out at her desk in the Blue and Gold office, uncapped pen still in hand, making unreadable scribbles across the blank page in her notebook.

Jughead leaned against the door frame, watching her for a few moments. He knew she hadn't been sleeping, though she hadn't been taking her Adderall, still giving the pills to him to dispose of when her mother refilled the prescription.

She would never know just how grateful he was for her trust in him.

Betty didn't look at peace, her eyes squeezing tighter together, her lips forming a thin line.

She was having a nightmare.

"Betty." He muttered, crossing the room to grasp her by the shoulders. "C'mon, Betts, wake up."

She slumped forward slightly instead, her head nearly knocking against the hard wood top. Jughead caught her easily, dragging her from the spiral chair.

"Betts." He said again. She squirmed against his grasp. "Betty, Betty, wake up. It's just me."

"Juggie?" She whispered, barely cracking an eye lid.

"Yeah." He replied, supporting her weight. "It's me. Wake up."

Betty finally seemed to regain some of her composure, her hands encircling his arms as she attempted to steady herself.

"What time is it?" She demanded, stifling a yawn.

"A little after five."

"Oh."

"How long were you asleep for?" Jughead questioned.

"I don't know." Betty admitted, stepping away from him. She tightened her ponytail. "Not long, I guess."

A concerned frown etched across his forehead.

"Betts." Disapproval dripped from his tone. "You need sleep."

"I know."

"Betty-"

"Jug, I _know."_ She hissed.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Why haven't you been sleeping?"

Her shoulders dropped in a shrug.

"Betty..."

"Jug, if I knew, I would tell you."

His brow furrowed as her own hands curled up into fists, a movement he knew all too well. She had always thought she was being subtle with her frustration, but she was transparent, at least when it came to him.

"Betts." Jughead pried her nails away from the soft flesh of her palm. "Stop it. Talk to me."

Betty stared at him. "How did you-"

"I know you, Betty Cooper."

"Oh. Right."

He unclenched her hands, his thumb brushing across the crescent shaped marks indented into her skin. "I hate that you do this."

"Jughead-"

"Why, Betty?"

"I don't..."

"Talk to me." He ordered, almost begging. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Juggie." She whined, trying to break free from his grasp.

He wasn't going to let her go, not until she told him the truth, ironic, since he had yet to finish his story about the party their sophomore year, something he was still attempting.

"I'm..."

"Betts?" He asked.

"I'm... Scared." Betty whispered.

"Scared?" Jughead repeated warily, pulling her closer. "Of what?"

Her arms immediately locked around her torso, burying her face into his chest. With a sigh, he sat down, bringing the golden haired girl with him. She shivered, and he shrugged out of his leather jacket, draping it across her shaking form, mimicking his actions from the other night.

"Every time I close my eyes..." Betty began. "I just... I... I see..."

"What, Betts?" He probed. He needed to know. "What do you see?"

A moment of silence fell between them.

"Betty."

 _"Him."_

Jughead's grip against her shoulders tightened instinctively. "What?"

Betty didn't answer. He glanced down at her, his expression softening when he saw that her eyes were closed, her breathing evening out, a content smile on her face. She felt safe. With him.

He was grateful that Toni had had other business to attend to. If she saw him, Betty sleeping soundly in his arms, she would have never let him live it down.

He would never give her the satisfaction that once again, she was right.

Elizabeth Cooper was his, whether he was ready, or willing to admit that.

She had always been his, his friend, his partner in crime, the girl he would always protect, the one person he would have done anything for.

She was the girl he had loved for as long as he could remember.

* * *

 **Two Years Ago**

* * *

"I can do a cartwheel!" She slurred, darting forward on the sidewalk. "D-Do you wanna see?"

He caught hold of her arm before she could step off the pavement, yanking her towards him. Her back made contact with a muscular chest; she was still amazed at just how much he had changed in only a year.

"No, Betts." He replied, the nickname surprising her. "I want you to keep talking to me. What happened?"

She thought for a moment.

The only thing she could recall was him dragging her from the house, gripping her hand so tightly, his knuckles had turned white.

"Betty."

"Archie said you weren't coming." She finally responded.

He stared at her, his expression unreadable. "What are you talking about?"

"I wanted you to come." She continued, ignoring him. "I missed you, Jug, I... I..."

"Betts?" He questioned.

She slipped her arms underneath his intimidating leather jacket, winding them around his torso.

He stiffened at the contact. "Betty..."

"I miss you, Juggie."

Her words seemed to soften him slightly, and suddenly, he was hugging her back, almost crushing her to his chest, though she had never felt safer.

"I need you to tell me what happened, Betts." He muttered, resting his chin on top of her head. "Tell me what that bastard did to you."

"I..."

"Betty?"

"I-I don't know." She admitted, tears clouding her vision. Her legs began to wobble. "I can't... I didn't... I need you, Juggie."

And then, she was leaning towards him.

* * *

She woke with a start.

"Hey." Jughead muttered, his grip tightening instinctively. "It's okay. You're okay."

She made no moves to lift her head from his shoulder, blinking as she tried to take in her surroundings. She was on the floor of the Blue and Gold, Jughead's jacket wrapped around her shoulders for what seemed like the thousandth time.

Had she fallen asleep?

"What happened?" She asked.

"You finally got some sleep." He replied. "Are you all right?"

Betty nodded. "Yeah, thanks to you."

She had never felt better.

This was the Jughead she knew and loved, the boy who always managed to make her feel safe.

"Any time, Betts." He promised, seriousness lacing through his tone.

His phone began to ring, and with an apologetic glance in her direction, he untangled himself from her grasp, pulling the deice from his pocket to answer it. Feeling cold without him beside her, Betty wrapped the familiar leather a little tighter around herself, the smell of cigarettes and aftershave an instant comfort.

Something hard banged against her hip.

With Jughead too preoccupied with his call, she thought she could hear Toni's voice on the other end, she felt safe enough to slip her hand into the pocket of his Serpent's jacket. Her thumb brushed across a cool, glossy surface, and she immediately knew what it was.

Before she could stop herself, she freed the phone from the interior, shoving it into her knapsack, her curiosity too great for her to remember her promise to Jughead.

"I have to go." He said with a reluctant sigh.

He moved towards her, holding out a hand to help her to her feet.

She took it without hesitation.

"Where?" Betty questioned.

"Never mind." Jughead replied, and by his tone, she didn't ask again. "Come on, I'll take you home."

She opened her mouth to protest. "Jug-"

"Please, Betts."

"Juggie, it's not that far of a-"

"Betty."

She wasn't ready to leave him yet, so, with a sigh, she accepted.

"That would be great, Juggie, thank you."

She started to take off his jacket, but his gaze, slightly authoritative, made her halt her actions. With an eye roll, she allowed him to lead her from the Blue and Gold office, her grip tightening on the strap of her knapsack.


	45. Chapter 45

Guilt riddled through her when she caught Archie's eye through her closed window.

He was shirtless, his fingers curled around the weight in his right hand, staring back at her, his expression unreadable.

Betty reached for her phone.

 **I'm sorry.** She typed.

His response was almost immediate.

 **I know.**

Their gazes reconnected, his lips forming a thin line. She wasn't sorry for getting rid of Grundy, or rather, having Jughead get rid of the cougar teacher, but she was sorry for hurting him, and she hoped that one day, he would truly be able to see that.

 **Can we talk? Please?  
**

Archie's frowned deepened.

 **I need some space, B.  
**

 **I'm sorry.**

And then, he closed his curtains without another glance in her direction. Unconsciously, her nails dug into the palm of her hand.

What was happening to them?

They were best friends, they were supposed to be inevitable, inseparable, but instead, they were slowly being ripped apart at the seam.

Despite the ever-growing distance between the pair, she wouldn't have taken anything back, not the plot to drive Grundy from Riverdale, not Archie's anger, and definitely not all the moments she'd had with a certain beanie wearing boy.

If anything, she hoped to have more instances with him, their past slowly dissolving into a future where they were an unstoppable duo again.

That was, if he ever forgave her for going against his wishes, and stealing Jason's phone from his pocket.

Instinctively, she glanced at the device, currently plugged into her charger. It had been three hours, it had to be at full percentage by now. It turned on easily, the brightness illuminating from the screen almost blinding her.

She didn't have to think about what his passcode was, her thumbs quickly hovering over each number. _101200._

October 12th, 2000, the Blossom twins birthday.

Cheryl used the exact same password.

The background photo was a group shot from the previous summer, though she could not recall the exact circumstance.

She wasn't sure she had ever even seen the picture before. Two things stood out the most; the first, that Chuck was nowhere to be seen, and the second, Jason's arm was tossed around her shoulders, anchoring her to him.  
She stared at his face, trying to memorize his features.

It felt like so long since she had seen his face, his mop of red hair, his kind blue eyes, his infectious smile.

The picture had been taken at Sweet Water River, she realized, though why Chuck was not there, she had no idea.

 _Betty._

Betty was hit with a flash of a memory, the night she and Jason had escaped to that very same place after their attempt to break into the school on her dare had failed. She was drunk, stumbling as they ran away to avoid the sounds of the sirens, Jason gripping her arm so tightly, his fingers had indented into her skin.

 _I know what happened._

She mimicked her exact reaction, falling to her knees, pressing her hands over her ears to try and block out his words.

 _Betty.  
_

 _No!  
_

 _Betty, it's okay-_

"No!" She cried.

 _Nothing happened.  
_

Nothing happened.

Someone had stopped the horrible events before they could transpire. Someone had burst into the room, unannounced, uninvited, but certainty not unwanted, shoving that wretched son of a bitch away from her before wrapping their protective arms around her and carrying her away.

Someone had saved her.

 _"Juggie."_ Betty whispered.

 _I need you, Juggie._


	46. Chapter 46

"God, I need a drink." Toni mumbled, throwing off her helmet.

Jughead followed suit, his lips forming a thin line as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

It was gone.

He was an idiot.

He should have known better than to leave Jason Blossom's phone in a place she could find it so easily. He wasn't sure why he had even taken it in the first place. Who was he truly trying to protect?

The Serpents?

Or Betty?

Could it have been both? It certainly seemed that way, taking the phone to destroy any possible connection to his own secret about the July Fourth weekend, stealing it so Betty would not attempt to return to the Southside on her own.

He knew her.

Too well.

Pulling out his own phone, he ignored Toni as he dialed the only number he knew by heart, the number he had never deleted, just in case.

It rang six times before her voice mail picked up.

 _Hey, it's Betty, leave a message, and I'll get back to you as soon as I-_

Jughead's jaw clenched.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Betty Cooper was nothing if not reliable, she always answered the moment someone called.

"Jug!" Toni said, her voice snapping him back to reality.

"I have to go." He hissed, straddling his bike.

"Jughead-"

"We'll talk later, Toni." Jughead snapped, shoving his beanie into his pocket, pulling his helmet over his dark curls.

He couldn't start the motorcycle fast enough.

He had to get to Betty. He had to make sure she was okay.

He didn't care about the phone anymore.

* * *

 **One Year Ago**

* * *

His grip on her arm tightened as they stumbled down the uneven path of the embankment.

"I think we lost them." Jason muttered. "Reggie is an idiot. Next time, just pick truth, B, otherwise, one of these days, we probably will end up getting arrested."

Betty barely heard him, too preoccupied with her own thoughts to be amazed that he had actually spoken. When the alarm went off after her attempt to break into the school, why Reggie had dared her to do it in the first place, she had no idea, that was just the game, it didn't have to make sense, Jason had been quick to grab her, yanking her along behind him as they all split up.

She was still confused as to why he'd brought her to Sweet Water River when Pop's might have safer option, let alone why he had accompanied her on her mission in the first place while the rest of their friends were hidden somewhere in the background, drunkenly giggling under their breaths.

They would return to the wooded area within a few weeks for their annual camping trip, and she prayed that this year, they would have better luck. Archie had nearly fallen into the fire pit while it was lit the last time, and with too much to drink, Reggie had gotten lost in the woods as he went to see a man about a horse.

Now that she thought about it, Jason had been oddly protective of her the entire night, constantly at her side any time a certain boy from their group had dared to even to begin to approach her.

"Betty?"

His voice snapped her back to reality.

"Huh?"

He was still speaking; she had never heard him talk this much. It was shocking; she was sure she could count the number of conversations they'd had on one hand.

"I need to ask you something."

"Okay..." She drew out. "What?"

Jason finally let her go, his eyes searching her face for a moment. "B, are you... Are you scared of Chuck?"

The mention of his name already had her shutting down.

"C-Chuck?" Betty repeated warily.

 _It's just me, B._

She could still feel his hand, wrapped tightly around her throat, not allowing her to budge an inch.

 _It's just me._

"No!" She cried, darting away from him.

"Betty!" Jason caught her easily, his hands curling around her upper arms. "It's okay, everything's okay."

"No..."

"I know what happened."

She barely registered his words, slowly growing numb, the familiar feeling creeping through her body, nearly rendering her immobile.

"N-Nothing happened." She replied, her automatic response every time Archie had asked.

"Betty..."

"Nothing happened!"

"B, it's okay-"

 _"No!"_ She hissed, wrenching free from his grasp. "No, stop! I don't wanna remember! Nothing happened! _Nothing_ happened!"

"Betty..."

Jason took a cautious step towards her, only one, but it was enough to make her further shrink into her protective state, spinning on her heel.

"Betty!"

"Juggie." She whispered, just as she had that night. "I need Juggie."

"B!" Jason called after her. "B, get back here! I want to help you! Please, come back!"

"Juggie." Betty said again, her pace quickening. "I need you, Juggie."

* * *

"Juggie." She whimpered.

"Betts." He echoed, just as anxiously, catching hold of her wrists to pull her to her feet. "Betts, I'm right here."

His suspicions that something was wrong had only been confirmed by her unlocked front door. Her mother wasn't home, unsurprisingly, and he had taken the stairs two at a time to get to her bedroom, still pink, frilly, and very Betty Cooper like, to find her curled up in a familiar ball, her hands pressed over her eyes, whispering his name again and again.

She wound her arms around his torso, clinging to him for dear life. He grunted at her death grip, though folded her into a tight hug, his free hand smoothing back the crown of her ponytail.

"Betty." Jughead muttered. "Shh, it's okay, everything's okay now."

He dropped down onto the mattress, Betty still wrapped in his embrace.

It was now or never.

He couldn't let her go through this again, he wouldn't, not when he had the power, the knowledge she had never wanted to hear, to save her, to finally break through the protective walls she had worked so hard to put up.

There was just one problem. Saving her could also mean destroying her.

What would hurt her more?

"Betty..." He began.

"N-Nothing happened." She stuttered.

"Betts."

Betty squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her face into his shoulder, staining his t-shirt with her tears. The sight broke his heart.

He couldn't let her go on like this. She needed to know.

He should have told her long before, god had he tried, but she seemed to block him out every single time, if only to protect herself.

"Betty, we need to talk about-"

"No!" Betty cried, gripping him tighter. "Nothing happened! I don't... I don't wanna remember. Not tonight, Juggie, please."

"Betts..."

 _"Nothing_ happened!"

He knew those words. Too well.

* * *

 **One Year Ago**

* * *

Sweet Pea finished his beer and chuckled the bottle at the closest tree, both he and Fangs letting out a drunken cheer as it shattered into a million pieces, the glass littering the ground.

Jughead glanced at Toni and rolled his eyes.

He knew he should have stayed in, but someone had to keep an eye on his band of inebriated idiots, so there he was, wasting a perfectly good Saturday night at the edge of Sweet Water River, listening to Sweet Pea tell the same raunchy joke every ten minutes.

"Glad you came?" Toni teased.

He smirked in response, something in the distance catching his eye.

"Jug?" She questioned.

"Stay here." He ordered, already starting down the path.

"Jug-"

"Keep an eye on them, Toni." Jughead warned, his tone making her think twice about speaking again.

Carefully, he began to approach the familiar golden haired girl.

He would have known her anywhere.

"Betty?"

She didn't respond, still mumbling incoherent nothings under her breath, her arms twined tightly around her middle, a clear indicator that she was upset.

Or terrified.

"Betty." He repeated, a little louder this time.

She was a trembling mess, shivering in her sleeveless top and jean shorts despite the summer heat, twigs attacking the curls that had fallen from her usual meticulous ponytail, mascara streaking down both cheeks, her eyes red from tears that had refused to fall.

"N-Nothing happened." She whispered.

"What?" Jughead demanded, stepping closer to her. She flinched at the abrupt movement. "What are you talking about? What are you _doing_ here, Betts?"

She slumped forward into his waiting arms.

"Juggie." She whimpered.

"Right." He acknowledged, easily supporting her weight. "Are you okay?"

"I don't... I didn't..."

He took a moment to survey her, beyond her disheveled appearance. Her eyes went wide, and it suddenly occurred to him that she was not completely in her right mind.

Irritation filled him, almost over masking his hidden concern. He wasn't supposed to care anymore, she wasn't his to protect, but he couldn't turn it off. He would always be there for her, whether she knew that or not.

"Are you drunk?"

"N-Nothing happened." Betty responded.

A pit settled in his stomach.

She wasn't just drunk, she was gone, trapped in her own subconscious, a memory that only she could call recall in its entirety, oblivious to her other surroundings.

"Betts." He pronounced slowly.

"J-Juggie..."

"I'm right here." Jughead promised. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere, but I need you to snap out of it. Come back to me."

His final words held so much meaning than either one of them knew.

"Juggie." Betty slurred, reaching up to cup his face, and he let her, her palm clammy against his cheek.

"Come back to me, Betts." He begged. "Please."

Something flashed in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm so sorry, Juggie. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" Jughead echoed warily.

Her arms locked around his torso, pressing her face into the crook of his neck as her legs threatened to give out from under her.

"Jug?" Toni called.

She slowly made her way down the path.


	47. Chapter 47

**Quick, or maybe not so quick A/N:**

 ** **I'm sorry for taking such a long hiatus. The truth is, I became burned out on this story without finishing it, and then, I got inspiration for personal stories that I've been working on instead. It's not an excuse, it's just what happened, but I'm going to try and push forward with this story, because I do want to finish it, and I want you all to know how it ends. It might just turn into weekly updates, but I will keep working on it, and I'll try not to be gone as long. Thank you for reading.****

* * *

 _Wake up._ A familiar voice hissed, but it was not Jughead who had spoken.

It was her, or rather, her own subconscious, begging, pleading with her to open her eyes, to remember.

Everything.

Though instead of listening, she shut the voice out, like she had so many times before, if only to protect herself from the impending memories, recollections she didn't want to recall.

At least, not yet.

She couldn't, she wasn't ready to hear what she already knew, deep down.

"Betty." Jughead muttered. "Open your eyes."

 _Come back to me._

She followed through with his instructions, easily taking in her surroundings before she allowed her gaze to meet his own.

"Betty..." He began.

Her hand was still curled around Jason's phone.

Betty broke away from his grasp, jumping to her feet. He quickly followed suit, surprise, confusion, concern and annoyance etching across his features.

"Why did you take that?" Jughead demanded.

She ignored him, typing in the passcode again.

 _10-12-00_.

"Betty!"

For reasons even she didn't understand, Betty went to the phone icon located at the bottom of the screen.

"Betty." He said again, making a grab for her wrist. She stepped away. "What are you doing? Give that to me."

She let out a gasp that suddenly had his fingers locking around her wrist for a completely different reason.

Jason had made a call at ten-fifty-five PM on July 4th.

The night he died.

It had only lasted ten seconds.

 _Betty._ The contact name read.

Jason had tried to call _her._


End file.
